Ayadi said the number of employees at the store could increase to 250 during summer. He added he believes the store will attract clients not only from across the Algarve but also from southern Spain.
It is the first Ikea store in the Algarve and the fifth in Portugal, and took years to complete, following a series of injunctions and legal proceedings launched by local business associations.
The 24,000 square-metre, two-storey Ikea store is part of a €200 million project by the Swedish DIY group in the Algarve, which will also include a retail centre.