IKEA is pulling the plug on three of its smaller-format stores in the Washington, D.C. region this fall, with the Georgetown location closing October 18, Annapolis following on October 30, and Fairfax shutting its doors last on November 30, 2026. All three are Plan & order point with Pick-up locations, the compact format IKEA uses to let shoppers plan big projects and arrange pickups without browsing a full warehouse-style store.
Three Closures Across 43 Days
The closure dates were confirmed in reporting from Retail Dive, which laid out the staggered timeline store by store. According to the outlet, employees at all three locations will have the opportunity to relocate to nearby IKEA stores in Baltimore, College Park, Maryland, and Woodbridge, Virginia. Retail Dive also notes that each of the closing locations sits near another IKEA store, which the company is framing as evidence that customers in the area will still have easy access to the brand.
Perhaps the most striking detail is the Georgetown store's short lifespan: the same report states it opened less than a year before the closure announcement, having replaced a now-shuttered Plan & order location in nearby Arlington, Virginia. That kind of quick turnaround is unusual for a retailer that has otherwise been aggressively expanding its U.S. footprint.
What Happens to Customers Mid-Project
For shoppers who were in the middle of planning a kitchen, bedroom or bathroom remodel at one of the three locations, IKEA says the work does not have to stop. Per Retail Dive's reporting, customers can continue their planning projects at other in-market locations or online using a remote planner. IKEA describes the Plan & order point with Pick-up format as a smaller-footprint store designed to help customers plan big projects and access pickup options, distinct from its full-size stores that stock merchandise on-site. A report from Patch similarly describes the format as a place to view products, place orders and get design assistance, without stocking merchandise for same-day purchases.
IKEA's own store page for the Fairfax site confirms the November 30, 2026 closure date directly, telling customers in the area they can continue to visit other locations, including College Park and Woodbridge, or shop online at IKEA.com.
A Bigger Pattern of Downsizing and Expansion
The three Washington-area closures aren't happening in isolation. IKEA had already planned to close its South Charlotte and Austin-Domain, Texas, Plan & order point locations on August 30, 2026, according to a separate report from Fox Business, which also notes the company now operates about 32 of these smaller-format locations across 14 states. Fox Business further reports that IKEA launched the Plan & order point format in early 2023 as part of a push to make shopping more convenient. Separately, Retail Dive has reported that IKEA's Memphis, Tennessee, store was set to close effective May 3 as part of a broader evaluation of its U.S. footprint.
Even as it trims some locations, IKEA is still pushing into new markets. The company has said it is continuing to invest in home delivery, pickup services and its digital channels even as individual stores close. That investment traces back to a 2023 pledge, when IKEA announced a $2.2 billion investment in its U.S. omnichannel growth strategy over three years, according to the company's own newsroom. That original plan anticipated eight new stores, nine Plan & order points and 900 new pickup locations nationwide.
New Stores Still on the Way
This year alone, IKEA plans to open 10 additional stores, including its first location in Oklahoma and its first city-center store in Los Angeles. The retailer's FY25 annual summary lists six previously announced 2026 locations — Huntsville, Alabama; University Park in Dallas; Phoenix; Rockwall in Dallas; Chantilly/Dulles near Washington, D.C.; and Houston-Webster — plus four more added in February: Chicago, Tulsa, Fort Collins and Los Angeles. In FY25, the company says it opened 14 new retail locations in total, including small-format stores in Arcadia, California, and San Marcos, Texas.
The expansion comes as IKEA reshapes its U.S. business. IKEA has framed the mix of closures and openings as part of a strategy to build a more affordable, accessible and sustainable future for its U.S. business, continuing to lean on Plan & order point stores alongside other smaller-format locations as it reshapes where and how it reaches American shoppers.
