IKEA Opening Moved Up TAMPA (WUSF) - Business closings and unemployment numbers have dominated the headlines lately. But the news isn't all grim. An international retail store has pushed up its opening in Tampa and is still hiring.

The Swedish retail store, IKEA, initially planned to open its Tampa store this summer.

"We of course thought that was the earliest the store could open," said company spokesman Joseph Roth. "But , with the combination of good weather, a good city and a good construction firm, everything's gone very smoothly."

Tampa's IKEA will open May 6th. It means 400 new jobs and applications are still being taken for positions in sales, customer service and replenishment.

When it opens, Tampa's store be will the largest of IKEA's three Florida stores with 353,000 square feet.
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