With status as the 10th IKEA location in Southern California, the new store in the Helms District will be the ‘city-sized’ version; 38,000 square feet of the famous Swedish furniture and housewares will be located at 3225 -A Helms Ave. The location will have a ‘soft’ opening on April 29, 2026, and a Grand Opening celebration on May 2.
IKEA has the sort of brand-loyalty that sports teams aspire to, and the buzz around the new store coming to Venice Boulevard is all but audible.
Re-imagining the space formerly occupied by H.D. Buttercup, IKEA has uncovered the windows and skylights and let the daylight pour in. The entire downstairs area is a showroom for sofas, bookcases, kitchen cabinetry and children’s furnishings.
On the initial walk-through, many of the IKEA people I spoke with were employees with more than 20 years of history. That speaks to a system that treats people well, and values their expertise, something that most large companies neglect to their detriment.
Looking to satisfy as many needs as possible with this large but limited plan, there will be more than 3,000 items available for purchase and immediate take-away. The rest can be ordered online and then picked-up or delivered. The store also has a green-forward policy, with many items designed to reduce energy use, water use and waste.
This location will not have a cafeteria/restaurant section, but will have food available for purchase, and a place to sit and relax. A selection of snacks and drinks can be enjoyed on the premises, and yes, the famous meatballs will be available as frozen items to take home with you.
Park in the Helms Design District lot, where there are EV chargers available, or across the street at Venice Boulevard and Helms Avenue.
In the past, IKEA has meant choosing between a trip to Burbank or a trip to Carson. Now, we will have a option that will likely appeal to a large swath of the westside.
Judith Martin-Straw
