Thousands of people lined up early Wednesday, hours before the opening of the new Ikea store in Dartmouth, N.S. — despite criticism the Sweden-founded retailer could take business away from local furniture stores.

Among those looking to get into Ikea Halifax (the name of the store even though it's in Dartmouth) after the 9 a.m. AT opening were hundreds who had camped out the night before.

Some of the 300 new employees banged thunder sticks and cheered as 4,000 customers wandered through the 330,000-square-foot store.

Wooing customers with gift card incentive

The store is the 13th Ikea store in Canada and the first of 12 new stores the company plans to open in Canada between now and 2025.

Ikea enticed thousands of people to camp out overnight in cool, drizzly weather with gift card and coupon giveaways.

The first 300 people in line received a gift card for $50 and the next 700 people in line got a coupon for $50 off a $150 purchase.

But everyone in the line between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. was eligible to win a $1,000 giftcard. The store held a draw every 15 minutes between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. for that prize.

Dartmouth was home to the first Ikea in North America, but it closed in 1988 because of sluggish sales. The newly opened store is now the retailer's only location east of Quebec.

IKEA line at 8am <a href="https://t.co/xsNrMwXrfc">pic.twitter.com/xsNrMwXrfc</a> —@Brett_CBC

Gabriela Lopez Vuran arrived in the lineup at 8 p.m. on Tuesday and, even though she's 32 weeks into her pregnancy, she spent the night on the ground in front of the store.

"I love camping so this is more or less — I brought my sleeping bag, my maternity pillow, blankets — so I am feeling good," she said.

Gabriela Lopez Vuran is 32 weeks into her pregnancy, yet lined up for more than 12 hours before the store's official opening at 9 a.m. AT. (Paul Palmeter/CBC)

Lopez Vuran, originally from Mexico, moved to Canada in 2011 and recently to Halifax. She said she misses going to the retailer in Toronto.

"I love Ikea. I love the food, I love the furniture — everything," she said.

Less than 30 minutes after it opened, the store was at capacity, with many more people waiting to get in.

Among those criticizing the retailer's entry into the Dartmouth retail scene was resident Sandy Hiltz.

"I personally will not be shopping there. I like to support small business," Hiltz said on CBC's weekly call-in show Maritime Connection.

However, Jim Cormier, director of the Atlantic Canada branch of the Retail Council of Canada, said retailers who offer similar products to Ikea's have already been competing for years.

Halifax Mayor Mike Savage was on hand for the official ribbon cutting on Wednesday. (Paul Palmeter/CBC)

Cormier, whose council represents both small and large businesses, also argues that Ikea Halifax is a "destination retailer."

He said people who will be driving from four or five hours away will be staying in hotels and spending money at local businesses, and will likely even go shopping at local retailers if they don't find what they're looking for at Ikea.

Margaret Taylor said she made a trip to Ikea in Ottawa to buy the store's signature bags to make some of her costume elements. (Paul Palmeter/CBC)

Margaret Taylor, from Hammonds Plains, and her friends lined up at 2 a.m. Wednesday and dressed in Ikea garb.

Taylor said she even made a trip to Ikea in Ottawa to buy the store's signature bags to make some elements of her costume.

"It is a big deal," she said.

Rosalind Downey drove about an hour from Debert, N.S., to be in Dartmouth Crossing for the opening. Her message to naysayers is: "Don't knock it till you try it."