It's the news IKEA tragics have been eagerly awaiting: a date has been set for the Canberra store to throw open its doors.
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On Monday at 10am, the throng at the company's Floriade booth will be told 56 days to go.
So expect traffic jams near the airport on Monday, November 16, when the enormous store opens to the public.
The construction firm handed over the site last Thursday. Now, hundreds of local staff – helped by about 100 experienced company workers from around the country – are unpacking 180 containers of furniture.
"It's too big a job for one store team to create and build an IKEA store in just over eight weeks since the handover from the construction team," store manager Mark Mitchinson said on Sunday.
At the weekend, the store management team moved into the store, crossing the road from the project office.
The finishing touches – such as erecting poles in the car park for LED lights – are being applied.
The store will be lit by LEDs and the enterprise powered on hot sunny days by nearly 2000 solar panels, sufficient to power about 106 homes.
Mr Mitchinson was excited by the challenge.
"It's more than just a retail store," he said, dwarfed by the company's massive sign.
The IKEA complex will include a restaurant, Swedish food market and takeaway bistro.
The chain's catalogues have been in heavy demand at the Floriade stall.
"We've been overwhelmed with how excited the people of Canberra have been; it's been like that ever since we announced last November that we'll be opening a store in Canberra," Mr Mitchinson said.
"For us now, the challenge is to take that excitement and make sure we can deliver an amazing store in 56 days.
"We're building a world-class store and we're going to be very proud of what we open on November 16."
When customers arrive, they will enter the store through the second-largest revolving airlock door in the country.
As they leave, possibly with full trolleys, they will walk through Australia's largest revolving door.
IKEA designers went into the homes of Canberra residents this year to discover how the store could best suit customers' needs.
IKEA expects the store to attract 1 million customers a year.
