Ikea scouting suburban locations in Oakland, Macomb

One site being considered is at I-94/M-59 in Chesterfield Township

It would be the second Michigan store for the home furnishings retailer

Ikea Group is looking in the Detroit area for a location for a new store that would complement its Canton Township flagship in Michigan, Crain's has learned.

Sources familiar with the search who requested anonymity said the home furnishings retailer is leaning toward a suburban location, either in Macomb or Oakland County.

One source said a site in the running is the 200-acre property at I-94 and Hall Road/M-59 in Chesterfield Township, where about 30 acres are being considered for a second location. The site is near where a Cabela's store opened earlier this year.

The source said Ikea at one point was scouting five locations in the region but has since narrowed that down and is looking to build a store of about 300,000 square feet.

Other possible locations are not known, but Oakland County also boasts several large sites, including the Pontiac Silverdome, which is set to be demolished in the next year; the Palace of Auburn Hills; and Summit Place Mall in Waterford Township, among others.

"IKEA has not announced any formal plans for a second store in the Detroit area," Latisha Bracy, an Ikea spokeswoman, said in an email to Crain's. "As we endeavor to expand our presence here in the United States we will continue to evaluate opportunities as they arise."

The Canton location, which opened in 2006, is 355,000 square feet and sits on 21 acres with 800 parking spaces, according to CoStar Group Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based real estate information service. It has about 300 employees.

Ikea, which has 355 stores in 29 countries, reported $40.2 billion in sales last fiscal year.