Ikea has won approval for a Kansas City-area store from the Merriam, KS, city council. The new store, when completed, will help fill in the retailer’s presence in the Midwestern United States.

The nearest Ikea locations to Kansas City are Ikea stores in Centennial, CO, Frisco, TX, Bloomington, MN, and Bolingbrook, IL. Ikea plans to commence construction of the future Ikea Merriam in Summer 2013, pending land purchase, permits and demolition of on-site buildings. The retailer slated opening for Fall 2014.

Located eight miles southwest of Kansas City, the store will cover 349,000 square feet, according to Ikea plans, along the eastern side of Interstate-35. The new store will include one level of parking below the store, a two-level parking structure and spaces accessible at ground level for a total of more than 1,200 parking spaces on-site. Ikea is evaluating potential for on-site power generation to complement its current renewable energy presence at 90% of its locations in the United States.

“Ikea is thrilled and honored at the support voiced by Merriam City officials and staff in favor of our opening a Kansas City-area store in Fall 2014,” said Ikea U.S. president Mike Ward. “We look forward to bringing our unique shopping experience closer to the 60,000 customers already in the area, to introducing new customers to the Ikea concept, to hiring 300 coworkers and to creating more than 500 construction jobs.”