Howdy, IKEA!

IKEA International A/S (Helsingborg, Sweden) has announced plans for its third Texas superstore, in Round Rock.

The international home-furnishings retailer said it plans to purchase 21.5 acres, making the store and its 1100 parking spaces accessible to customers from throughout Central Texas. The 252,000-square-foot store will join IKEA stores in Frisco, Texas, which opened earlier this month, and in Houston, which opened in 1992 and moved into a new building last August.

Pending approvals and permits, construction can begin in 2006, with an anticipated opening in spring 2007.

IKEA Round Rock will feature four model homes, 50 room settings, a supervised children's play area, a 250-seat restaurant serving Swedish specialties such as meatballs with lingonberries or salmon plates, a “Children's IKEA” area in the showroom, baby care rooms, preferred parking and play areas throughout the store.

IKEA currently has more than 215 stores in 33 countries, including 24 in the U.S., where other stores being planned will be located in: Bolingbrook, Ill.; Brooklyn, N.Y.; Canton, Mich.; Dublin and West Sacramento, Calif.; and Somerville and Stoughton, Mass.