"I think the No. 1 differencemaker was our geographic location," Baird said. "Simply put, you're seeing the merging of the two valleys, and we're smack-dab in the middle of that hourglass, which is superb. The traffic infrastructure is superior in this location, where you've got a massive amount of growth on the southern side of the Salt Lake Valley as well as on the western side, and a lot of those are homes built for younger couples."

Neither Baird nor Greenholz elaborated on what, if any, incentives Draper city offered. But, Greenholz said the development agreement will go before the City Council tonight, which likely will provide more detail.

"Everyone really benefits from this project," Greenholz said. "Our customers will benefit from having us nearby. Our co-workers, 300 new jobs. . . . And the the community will benefit as well, in the form of sales and property taxes, which will fuel local services."

Shopper reaction early Tuesday ranged from those who weren't familiar with IKEA or its products, to those who would plan road trips around the company's stores in California.

"The only thing I've heard about it is what I've heard on the news," said Kim Peck, who was shopping at the Draper Peaks outdoor mall Tuesday. "But what I've heard about it was exciting. It looks like it (IKEA) has really cool stuff."

Liz Babcock of Stansbury Park said she was "very excited" about the prospect of having an IKEA nearby. Babcock heard of the company's products on the Oprah Winfrey show, investigated, and became a fan.

"I've never been to a store. I've just ordered through the catalog," Babcock said. After a short pause, she added, "But I order all the time."

"It's affordable, and fun," she said. "It carries different things — things you can't always find here."

Babcock said she and some friends once planned to drive to an IKEA store, either in California or in the Pacific Northwest. The trip fell through when schedules clashed, but Babcock said the desire was real.

"We thought it'd be such a fun weekend," she said. "You know, to just go, to drive. Unload two seats in the van (to make room for purchases) and go."

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E-mail: jnii@desnews.com