MERRIAM, KS—IKEA plans to open a store in Kansas.  The popular Swedish home furnishings retailer announced  plans Thursday for a proposed store in Merriam, which is near Kansas City.

The location is at the southeastern corner of I-35 and Johnson Drive.  Currently a vacant shopping center sits on the property.  It will be torn down to make way for the new store.

The store, which officials say will need 350 employees,  is scheduled to open in the fall of 2014.  It would be the first IKEA store in Kansas.

There are 38 IKEA stores in the United States.