Sunday, December 21, 2014
Largest IKEA store: South Korea breaks Guinness World Records' record (VIDEO)
SEOUL, South Korea -- Iconic Swedish furniture retailer IKEA built its biggest store in the world to serve South Korea's shrinking households; the store opened in Gwangmyeong, less than an hour's drive or 14 minutes by train from central Seoul, with a sales space nearly as big as the Louvre museum at 59,000 square meters, setting the new world record for the largest IKEA store,
according to the World Record Academy: www.worldrecordacademy.com/.
Photo: The 131,550-square-meter store in Gwangmyeong, just outside Seoul, is said to be the world's largest IKEA store to date. A total of 8,600 items ranging from bookshelves to kitchen furniture, bathroom goods and children's toys will be sold, while its cafeteria will sell affordable Swedish and Korean foods. Sixty-five rooms ― measuring about 55 square meters ― will be filled with IKEA products to showcase how northern European furniture can harmonize with the Korean room structure. Photo: IKEA Korea (enlarge photo)
The Guinness World Records' record for the Largest crayfish party across multiple venues was set by IKEA's 18 stores across the UK and Ireland; they hosted a simultaneous crayfish party for 4,967 customers adorned with traditional decorations and attire.
Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the most meatballs eaten in one minute; it is 29 and was achieved by Takeru Kobayashi (Japan) for Bikkuri Chojin 100 Special #3 (Fuji TV) in New York, New York, USA, on 8 March 2010. Kobayashi performed the feat at Fulton Street Landing in Brooklyn, New York, and consumed IKEA meatballs.
The previous record-holder at IKEA, known for its inexpensive, self-assembly products, was in Stockholm spanning 55,200 square meters.
IKEA will offer a new challenge to the country's legion of furniture makers, many of which are small. About 61 per cent of a total of 1,247 firms in 2012 employed less than 20 people, private think tank Hana Institute of Finance said.
Among the 8,600 items on sale, some were modified for local tastes.
The "super-single" bed, brought specifically for Korea, offers sleepers up to 40 centimeters more snooze width than a standard single bed.
Alongside its Swedish meatballs, the store's restaurant offers kimchi bibimbap, a rice bowl mixed with the spicy South Korean staple side dish, and Korean barbecue.
"We never planned the biggest store, we just planned a big store, because we believe we need one for a 23-million city (the Seoul metropolitan area)," said Patrick Schuerpf, IKEA Korea's Country Project Manager.
The world's five largest IKEA stores are:
1. 552,000 square feet in Stockholm, Sweden
2. 494,000 square feet in Shanghai, China
3. 470,000 square feet in Shenyang, China
4. 457,000 square feet in Tianjin, China
5. 450,000 square feet in Berlin, Germany.
IKEA has 345 stores in 42 countries. The company reported 27.9 billion euros ($34.7 billion) in sales last year.
Related world records:
Longest Outdoor Bookcase - world record set by Ikea
Deepest swimming pool: Italian pool breaks Guinness World Records' record (VIDEO)
Largest soft-play area: Iplayco breaks Guinness world record (PHOTOS)
Largest water sprinkler: Juicy Water breaks Guinness world record
Largest building: China breaks Guinness world record (VIDEO)
Highest hotel: JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai breaks Guinness world record
Tallest statue of Pope John Paul II: Poland breaks Guinness world record (VIDEO)
Largest freshwater aquarium: Singapore breaks Guinness world record
Longest cable bridge: the Russky Island bridge sets world record (PICS & VIDEO)
Largest K'NEX Sculpture: U.S. Space & Rocket Center sets world record
Tallest lego tower: South Korea sets world record (PICS & Videos)
Largest sheet fortress: The Halberdier Club sets world record
Tallest suspension bridge: Mexico's Baluarte Bridge sets world record (Video)
Largest Ten Commandments: Philippines
Longest outdoor escalator: Medellin sets world record (Video)
Largest straw maze: Garden Cents in Rupert (Video)
Steepest roller coaster: The Takabisha (HD Video)
Longest Bench: Pazardzhik
Longest bridge over water: China's Qingdao Haiwan Bridge
Tallest Jesus statue: Christ the King Monument
Largest indoor theme park: Ferrari World
Largest Aquarium: The Georgia Aquarium
Largest Portable Hammock: Hansy Better Barraza
Largest Clock: The Royal Mecca Clock
Largest mechanical clock: Ganzhou clock
Furthest Leaning Man-made Tower: The Capital Gate
Largest Ice Maze: Buffalo
Largest Igloo: 'Bigloo'
Largest Urn: Richard Cohen Landscape & Construction Inc.
Largest Solar Energy Building: Chinese "Sun Dial"
Largest Performing Fountain: Dubai Fountain
Tallest building: Burj Dubai
Largest floating restaurant: Rustar dhow
Largest cinema screen: Pinewood Studios
Largest Floating Christmas Tree: Rio de Janeiro
Tallest artificial Christmas tree: Mexico City
Largest monument to the Turkey: Frazee City
Largest monument to the onion: Pericei
Largest Free-Flying American Flag: George Washington Bridge
Largest department store - Shinsegae Centum City
Largest Painted Easter Egg - Suceava
Largest Rocking Chair - Dan and Carolyn Sanazaro
Largest bird feeder - Allerton Project farm
Largest hanging basket - Hotel Indigo London Paddington
Longest bridge fountain - Banpo Bridge
Largest Outdoor Skating Rink - Mexico City
Biggest coffin - Eternity restaurant
Highest flagstaff - Turkmenistan
Largest self-supporting dome igloo - APEGNB
Largest administrative building - Romanian Parliament
Largest swimming pool - San Alfonso pool
Largest lenticular mural - Big3D
Tallest Residential Tower - The Chicago Spire
Largest public restroom from China set world record
Longest bridge made from plastic bottles set world record
|