IKEA announced today that the first Florida store to open is the Sunrise location (Ft. Lauderdale Metro Area) and the opening date....drum roll please....

October 17th at 9 AM.

While the website doesn't list the date, it was reported on sun-sentinel.com this morning.  They must be working in overdrive inside the building.  When I took my pics a month ago, they were probably concentrating on the inside setup.  I'm sure the exterior goes up in a snap as it appears to be pre-fabricated.

The store is located on the northwest corner of State Rd. 84 and NW 136th Ave.  You can see the building from I-595.  They are expecting traffic to be a huge issue, so there might even be a 'shuttle' bus located at the nearby Bank Atlantic Center Arena.    I've included a map below of the general location.

So mark you calendars...and be prepared to get there early, whenever you go.  And be sure you bring you patience and walking shoes.