Recent news reports show that IKEA, the world famous Swedish multinational retailer, is getting ready to invest EUR 88 million in the construction of a Designer Outlet complex in Croatia.

The company, whose Croatian division opened on the outskirts of Zagreb in August 2014 and has since been welcoming over 1.5 million customers on an annual basis, has decided to embark on such an endeavour in order to tap into a yet unseen mix of outlet retail and leisure entertainment in the region. According to the company's management, the plan is for the complex to combine furniture shopping, fashion and lifestyle facilities in a way that no outlet centre nearby has done so far. It has been reported that the stores' architecture will be inspired by houses from different Croatian regions including Slavonia, Istria, Dalmatia, as well as from Zagreb and the country's north-western parts.

Furthermore, the entire complex will feature discounted luxury and secondary retail stores, a hypermarket park, but also fast food chains and restaurants – all of which spread across 50 000 square meters of space. The location of the centre will be the vacant lot right next to the current Ikea Zagreb store.

On a more practical side, current reports pin the start of the construction process for 2017, with the aim of having the opening date in 2018. The Austrian consultancy firm,ROS Retail Outlet Shopping, will be managing all activities of the outlet centre.

Apart from being able to offer its customers with all of the above mentioned facilities, the construction of this centre, once finished, is also expected to provide 400 new job places. Finally, a number of Croatian news sources has outlined the construction of this centre as proof of Ikea's high level of satisfaction with the way their department store has been operating in this country.