IKEA Charlotte, 8300 IKEA Boulevard, Charlotte, is the only IKEA in North or South Carolina. Although there are 52 IKEA stores in the U.S., the next closest IKEA is in Atlanta, four hours away. So it’s no wonder that IKEA Charlotte is a destination for shoppers from all over the Carolinas.
IKEA Charlotte can be a little bit overwhelming, with 356,000 square feet of shopping space, but once you know a little bit about it, and learn some hints and tips, it can be a great place to shop for furniture, home accessories, kitchen ware, and even plants. Plus, a stop in the restaurant is a must!
Read on to learn how to make the most of your visit to IKEA Charlotte, including how to find your way around IKEA (including shortcuts), how to find your furniture after you choose it, info on picking up your furniture, IKEA’s hours, and much more. In case you’re traveling from out of town, read on for list of nearby hotels, restaurants near IKEA, and other things to do in Charlotte.
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Getting to IKEA Charlotte
Getting to IKEA Charlotte is easy. If you’re coming from the south, just take exit 43 from I-85. If you’re coming from the north you could also take exit 45A.
IKEA has a huge parking lot. You’d be wise to park closer to the exit than the entrance, because you might be hauling a lot of stuff back to the car.
There are lettered location signs in the parking lot, so make note of which ones you parked closed to. G and H are prime areas, because they are closest to the exit.
There is also an area in front of the store where you can pull the car up after you shop so that you don’t have to drag everything across that massive parking lot.
IKEA Charlotte Hours
IKEA is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The restaurant is open:
- Monday to Thursday: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Sunday: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Getting Around IKEA Charlotte
IKEA Charlotte has two floors. The top floor contains the Showroom, where you shop for furniture and other large items. (You’ll pick the items up downstairs.) The restaurant is also on the top floor.
The bottom floor contains the Marketplace, where you can find all kinds of accessories, and home decor. You pick these up as you walk through the area. There are shopping carts available. Also on the bottom floor is the Småland, the children’s play area, although that is not open at this time.
You might wander, if you walk through the whole path of the Showroom and Marketplace, how long of a walk is that? Answer: It’s about 6/10 of a mile.
When you enter IKEA Charlotte you’ll see the escalator, which takes you to the Showroom. However, you can enter the Marketplacel directly if you’re not shopping for furniture.
Elevators are also available.
Once upstairs, make sure to take a look at the maps, and maybe even take a picture of them to consult on your journey.
The rooms in IKEA’s Showroom
One of the most impressive features of IKEA is the way they set up a whole room with furnitures and accessories, as if it were a real efficiency apartment or a bedroom.
The above efficiency apartment is 270 square feet. But make sure that you have the actual dimensions of the room you want to furnish, as well as any furniture already in the room, because one 270 square foot room might have different dimensions from another.
There will also be a sign outside the room that tells exactly what type and shade of paint is used, and what the flooring is.
Shortcuts
The standard way to get around IKEA is to follow the footsteps on the floor, which will take you through every section. But you’ll want to make note of the shortcuts on the above maps. If you just got through Sofa Beds and want to get to the Children’s Area without walking through Wall Units and Media Storage, Workspaces, Kitchen, Dining and Bedroom, just take the shortcut! It will save you substantial time.
Deciding to Buy
If you’re in the Showroom (upstairs) and decide to buy a piece of furniture, take a picture of the tag. That will tell you exactly where to find it in the Furniture Self Service area. It also includes the dimension of the item.
If the item is an accessory, there will also be a tag, but it will tell you where to find it in the Marketplace.
Restaurant
The entrance to the restaurant is at the end of the path through the Showroom. Some popular meals are Swedish meatballs and salmon fillets. We will provide a closer look at the restaurant soon!
Here are a few more pictures from the Showroom.
Marketplace
The stairs to the Marketplace are next to the restaurant. You’ll find shopping carts at the bottom of the stairs. The Marketplace has pretty much anything you can imagine, including rugs, home organization products, towels, kitchen implements, mirrors, light fixtures, art and much more. Again, make use of the shortcuts if you don’t want to browse through everything!
But if you like to browse, there’s a lot to see. At the very end of the Marketplace, right after the artificial plants there’s a selection of live plants! Here are some pictures from the Marketplace.
Picking Up Your Furniture
From the Marketplace you will step into the Self-Service Furniture Area. Hopefully you took a picture of the tag of the item you want to buy. It will tell you the aisle and bin number where you can find the item. Most items are flat packed. Some items are packed into more than one box, so make sure to check for that. If you need help, ask.
Once you have the items loaded onto your cart, head to check-out. But make sure to look to the right before you get to check-out….
As-Is Area
The As-Is Area has items that are slightly damaged. Sometimes it’s just the packages that are damaged. They are marked down up to 50% off. These items are not returnable. Also, you might not be able to see exactly what they are, because many are still in boxes, but if you have the IKEA app, you can enter the item’s code in the search bar, or scan it with your phone, and find out all of the information.
There is also a small Deals of the Day section.
After you check out
Even as you check out, and after you check out, you might be tempted to buy more. You’ll find small items for your home (which always look surprisingly appealing) as well as an amazing selection of snacks.
And the café has extremely inexpensive items, like $1 hot dogs, in case you worked up an appetite shopping.
Finally, you’ll find some more delicacies to take home, like Swedish meatballs and pancakes, in the freezers.
Hints and Tips for IKEA Charlotte
Prepare in advance
There’s something to be said for spontaneity at IKEA, but it’s so massive that you can get overwhelmed, and forget the actual reason you’re there. Browse through ikea.com before you go. When you look at an item on the website, it will tell you if it’s in stock at IKEA Charlotte, which is a big time saver.
There’s also an IKEA app and with that you can scan items as you shop. It will also keep track of your IKEA Family information (more on that soon.)
Before you leave home, measure the rooms you’re considering furnishing, as well as all the furniture you currently have in the rooms. If applicable, also measure windows that you might want to buy treatments for, and pictures you might want to frame.
And then bring your tape measure with you.
Avoid weekends
If at all possible, go to IKEA on a weekday. Unless you love being around crowds, that is!
Take pictures
Take a picture of the map of the layout of the store when you get there. One nice thing about the map is that you can see the shortcuts. That way, if you want to get to Living Room Store to Bedroom Storage without walking all the way through Work Spaces, Kitchens, Dining, and Bedrooms, you can do that. This is a huge time saver if you’re at IKEA for a specific reason.
Also, take pictures of the tags when you see something you want. The tags show you where in the furniture self-service area the items are. The furniture self-service area is the last place you go to before checkout, so at that point you don’t want to rely on your memory.
Join IKEA Family
IKEA Family is IKEA’s loyalty club. You’ll get some discounts, plus a cup of coffee or tea from the restaurant every time you visit. Keep reading for more information on IKEA Family.
Accessibility at IKEA Charlotte
According to IKEA, these are the facilities available for people with disabilities:
- Designated disabled parking
- Accessible toilets
- Hearing loops
- Manual wheelchairs for loan
- Assisted shopping
- Changing places for adults and children
Other Ways to Shop IKEA
You can also “Click & Collect.” Order online and pick up at the store. Delivery is also available, but there’s an additional cost.
Will IKEA assemble your furniture for you?
IKEA has partnered with TaskRabbit for furniture assembly. Learn more here.
Hotels Near IKEA Charlotte
Are you traveling to Charlotte for IKEA? There are many reasonably priced hotels near IKEA, including these hotels. If you click on one of the discount links, below, and book a stay, Charlotte on the Cheap might earn a commission.
Comfort Suites University
7735 University City Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28213
6 minutes from IKEA
Find discounts
Sonesta Simply Suites Charlotte University
8812 University E Drive
Charlotte, NC 28213
8 minutes from IKEA
Find discounts
Extended Stay America
8211 University Executive Park Drive
Charlotte, NC 28262
6 minutes from IKEA
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Charlotte NE
6020 University Pointe Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28262
4 minutes from IKEA
What Else is There to Do Near IKEA Charlotte?
Less than a mile away from IKEA Charlotte is Topgolf – Charlotte University, at 9110 Drivers Way, Charlotte, NC. Aim for outfield targets from your climate-controlled hitting bay. Insider tip: bays are half price on Tuesdays. Learn about half price days and other discounts in our article: Everything you need to know about Topgolf!
There’s also a lot of shopping very close to IKEA, so you can definitely do more than shop for furniture. IKEA is part of Belgate Shopping Center. Some of the other large stores in Belgate Shopping Center are TJ-Maxx, Burlington, Furniture Row, Hobby Lobby, Marshalls, PetSmart, Old Navy, ULTA, Shoe Carnival, World Market and Walmart.
There are plenty of restaurants in Belgate Shopping Center. They are all or mostly chain restaurant, including Outback, Zaxby’s, Tropical Grille, Chipotle, and Golden Corral.
And just 1.9 miles away is Shoppes at University Place, where you can walk around the pond, eat at Crafty Crab, City Barbeque, Famous Toastery, Ninety’s (definitely check out their ice cream creations), FruitiCup Yogurt and more. Rent a paddleboat or listen to music outside the Wine Vault.
Make sure to check out Charlotte on the Cheap for things to do in Charlotte while you’re in town.
IKEA FAMILY Membership
FREE benefits include (but are subject to change)
- Free coffee or tea in restaurant
- 90-day price protection
- Get discounts on home furnishings & accessories in the store
- Scan your card at the checkouts and get entered for a chance to win a $100 IKEA gift card
- Workshops and events
Bettina M Thomas says
This was so helpful and helped to relieve anxiety for a first time visit.
Eunice Dee says
This article was so helpful and well done. It covered all the bases and then some. Great going!