Here’s your chance to be a part of IKEA before its doors open in Marsden Park this month.
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In a world first, applications are now open for customers of all ages to help put the finishing touches ahead of the store’s May 28 grand opening.
Thirty lucky customers will have tongue-in-cheek roles such as ball pit testers (for ages 6-12), junior interior designers (ages 10-16), meatball tasters, assemblers and comfort coordinators.
‘‘People have very been intrigued so we thought why not get them to help us put the finishing touches,’’ store manager Annie Chandler said.
‘‘It’s an amazing opportunity. This is the first time the customers have been engaged, so there’s been a lot of interest and questions.’’
Applications close May 13.
Successful applicants need to be available on May 23 and May 28.
They won’t be paid but will receive $200 IKEA vouchers.
‘‘To be a meatball tester, you don’t need to love meatballs,’’ Ms Chandler said.
‘‘We have vegie balls for vegetarians.’’
Ms Chandler has been involved since the sod turning at the Sydney Business Park site last year.
It is the third IKEA store in NSW and sixth in Australia.
‘‘It’s been a long time in the making and we’re super keen to open a month earlier than scheduled,’’ she said.
‘‘The staff have been ploughing through the work faster than anticipated, so we thought why not open early.’’
Around 70 per cent of the 313 staff live within a 30 minute drive of Marsden Park.
Ms Chandler has high hopes for the store in the growing north west region.
‘‘It’s almost 10 years since the Blacktown store moved to Rhodes because we needed a bigger store,’’ she said.
‘‘Our restaurant looks onto the car park, where people are driving in on the weekend, having a look around and knocking on the doors, keen to come in.’’
IKEA will be the third business to open at Sydney Business Park with Masters Home Improvement also due to open soon.
‘‘My hope is that my co-workers and customers have an amazing experience every day,’’ Ms Chandler said.
Details: facebook.com/IKEA.AU.