In what Swedish town did IKEA open its first store in 1958?

IKEA opened its first store in Älmhult, Sweden, in 1958.

Ingvar Kamprad founded IKEA in 1943 as a mail-order business in the Swedish province of Småland. The company initially sold small goods, including pens, wallets and picture frames, before concentrating on furniture. Its first permanent showroom and store in Älmhult marked an important change: customers could see and test furniture before ordering it.

Älmhult remained central to IKEA’s development. The town later became home to IKEA’s design and product-development operations, as well as the IKEA Museum, which opened in the building used by the original store. This makes Älmhult particularly significant in the company’s history.

A common mix-up is confusing IKEA’s first store with its first store outside Sweden. IKEA expanded internationally in 1963, when it opened a store in Asker, Norway.