Kentucky
IKEA to open new store concept in Florence, Kentucky. Sorry, it won’t have meatballs
New retail concept brings Best Buy and Ikea together
Best Buy and IKEA are launching a “shop‑in‑shop” concept where 10 Best Buy stores in Florida and Texas will host 1,000 sq. ft. IKEA mini-showroom’s.
Cheddar
IKEA, the Sweden-based home furnishing retailer, is bringing a new type of shopping experience to Northern Kentucky next year. But it’s not bringing meatballs.
The company is opening a “plan and order point with pick-up” store in Florence to bring “the IKEA experience closer to more residents of the tri-state area,” according to a news release.
“I’m beyond excited to welcome customers to our new plan and order point in Florence next spring,” Susan Blackstock, IKEA market manager, said. “This new store location is perfect for customers who are looking to purchase affordable home furnishings, plan new design projects, and create a home they love. IKEA Florence brings our signature design solutions to the Cincinnati community – making it more accessible, more convenient, and of course, more affordable.”
Here’s what to know.
IKEA announces plans to bring new store concept to Northern Kentucky
IKEA is opening a “plan and order point with pick-up” store in Florence, and the format will focus on face-to-face interaction with customers. Shoppers will have the opportunity to meet with an IKEA employee “to plan and order home furnishing solutions that may require design support – such as kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms.”
“With this location, we are increasing accessibility to the brand and meeting customers where they are and how they like to shop,” the release said.
When is IKEA opening in Florence?
The new store will open sometime in spring 2026.
Where will the IKEA store be located in Florence?
The new IKEA store will be located right across from the Florence Mall on Mall Road and cover 4,200 square feet of leased retail space.
Will same-day pick up be available at the IKEA store in Florence?
Customers can arrange home delivery or pick-up at a time that is convenient, but same-day pick up is not available, as all orders need to be placed in advance.
Online shoppers will have the option to pick up qualifying orders by selecting IKEA Florence as their preferred pick-up location at checkout.
Will IKEA Florence sell meatballs and other food options?
The Florence store will not sell its iconic meatballs and other food offerings, according to the news release. Shoppers will have to visit the West Chester Township’s conventional store, which opened in 2008, to satisfy their cravings.
How many ‘plan and order point with pick-up’ stores does IKEA have?
IKEA has already opened more than 20 “plan and order point with pick-up” stores in 13 other states, with several more slated to open within the next couple of weeks.
Where is the closest IKEA store to Louisville?
The closest IKEA store to the Louisville area is in West Chester Township in Ohio, located at 9500 Ikea Way. The new Florence store will mark the second location in Greater Cincinnati.
Cincinnati Enquirer reporter Aaron Valdez contributed. Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.
Kentucky
Kentucky Women’s Basketball gets historic win over No. 5 Oklahoma
The No. 6 Kentucky Wildcats moved to 16-2 on the season after a massive win over the No. 5 Oklahoma Sooners by a final score of 63-57. Kenny Brooks’ squad’s successful season rolls on with a second top-five win, the most the UK women’s team has ever had in a single season.
The Wildcats pulled out a close win thanks to senior Tonie Morgan, who totaled 22 points (8/19 FG), eight rebounds, and four assists. Morgan also played all 40 minutes on Sunday evening against the Sooners as her stellar season continues.
The Wildcats also played strong defense all night. As a team, they totaled four steals and eight blocks. Clara Strack, the 6-foot-5 senior, led the team with three blocks. Strack also recorded her ninth double-double of the season. They held the Sooners to 24-67 shooting (36%) from FG range and 2-19 from deep (11%).
The Wildcats held the Sooners scoreless in the last four minutes and moved to 3-1 in SEC play and now have three top-25 wins this season after previously winning at Louisville and at LSU.
Between the transfer portal, a men’s basketball win, and a women’s basketball win, it has been a great weekend in the Bluegrass!
Kentucky
Mark Pope updates injury status of Jayden Quaintance
The Kentucky Wildcats had to return to the court Saturday night without their star center in Jayden Quaintance.
Coming back to the court from an ACL tear last season, Quaintance shined in his opening game against St. John’s and has eased himself back into game-play after nine months off the court. That is why it came as a surprise on Friday night when he was listed as out on the injury report.
Well, we got some more insight into why he was held out against Mississippi State in the pregame radio show. When asked about the injury, here is what Mark Pope had to say.
“He’s (Quaintance) just had a little bit of swelling, so we’re just kind of monitoring it,” Pope said. “And the most important thing is just his health. So, it’s going to be a little start and stop as we go. That’s just the process.”
So, for now, it doesn’t sound like anything that will keep JQ out for too long, though it’s unknown if he’ll return for either of next week’s games at LSU and at Tennessee.
The Cats have started to piece it together in the front court, but there is no denying the potential Quaintance has. When healthy, he is an NBA lottery pick. Now let’s hope he can get back onto the court soon to help the Cats make a run.
Kentucky
Kentucky vs Mississippi State score today, UK basketball game updates
Kentucky’s Mark Pope says Cats are in ‘a hard space’ after Missouri loss
UK men’s basketball is 0-2 in the SEC after the Cats fell to Missouri on Wednesday. “Grieve quickly as possible and move on,” coach Mark Pope said.
LEXINGTON — Two days after Kentucky basketball gave up a game-ending 15-2 run in a 73-68 loss to Missouri, Mark Pope was asked to explain what went wrong.
In a sense, Pope answered it with another question: What didn’t go wrong for his club in those final 4 ½ minutes?
“It was everything, actually,” Pope said during a news conference Friday. “It was so much misfortune. It was so much stuff in our wheelhouse that we inexplicably didn’t execute the way we normally do. It was some poor communication. It was some poor internalization of the scout. It was some missed shots. It was some coaching error.
“… (All) of those things lead to that terrible, terrible 4 ½ minutes.”
Stream Kentucky vs. Mississippi State
After falling to 0-2 in SEC play for the first time in two decades (2005-06), the Wildcats have no time to feel sorry for themselves. And Pope won’t allow it.
“I think everybody has mental fatigue everywhere right now — if you’re putting your whole heart and soul into it,” he said of his team (9-6). “But that’s our job: to not let that have any impact on today or yesterday or tomorrow. One of the things I love about sports is it teaches you that you have to. It doesn’t matter how bad things get. You can’t go back and rewrite what happened.”
Kentucky only can look forward, which begins with tonight’s matchup with Mississippi State at Rupp Arena. The Bulldogs (10-5, 2-0) enter on a six-game win streak.
Courier Journal sports reporter Ryan Black is at Rupp Arena and will have live updates throughout the game — here and on X, formerly known as Twitter — and complete coverage after. You can follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
Follow along with live updates from today’s game between the Wildcats and Bulldogs below:
- TV channel: SEC Network
- Livestream: Fubo (free trial)
The game between the Wildcats and Bulldogs will air nationally on SEC Network.
Authenticated subscribers can access SEC Network via TV-connected devices or by going to WatchESPN.com or the WatchESPN app.
Those without cable can access SEC Network via streaming services, with Fubo offering a free trial.
Stream Kentucky vs. Mississippi State on SEC Network
Betting odds: Kentucky is a 10 ⅟₂-point favorite (-112) on DraftKings, which set the over/under at 153 ⅟₂ points (-112/-108).
Tom Leach (play-by-play) and Jack Givens (analyst) will have the UK radio network call on 840 AM in Louisville and both 630 AM and 98.1 FM in Lexington.
You can also listen online via UKAthletics.com.
- Oct. 17: Blue-White game (Click here to read takeaways from the intrasquad scrimmage.)
- Oct. 24: exhibition vs. Purdue (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 78, Purdue 65
- Oct. 30: exhibition vs. Georgetown University (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Georgetown 84, Kentucky 70
- Nov. 4: Nicholls (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 77, Nicholls 51
- Nov. 7: Valparaiso (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 107, Valparaiso 59
- Nov. 11: at Louisville (KFC Yum! Center) | SCORE: Louisville 96, Kentucky 88
- Nov. 14: Eastern Illinois (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 99, Eastern Illinois 53
- Nov. 18: vs. Michigan State (Champions Classic; Madison Square Garden, New York) | SCORE: Michigan State 83, Kentucky 66
- Nov. 21: Loyola University Maryland (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 88, Loyola Maryland 46
- Nov. 26: Tennessee Tech (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 104, Tennessee Tech 54
- Dec. 2: North Carolina (Rupp Arena; ACC/SEC Challenge) | SCORE: North Carolina 67, Kentucky 64
- Dec. 5: vs. Gonzaga (Bridgestone Arena; Nashville) | SCORE: Gonzaga 94, Kentucky 59
- Dec. 9: North Carolina Central (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 103, North Carolina Central 67
- Dec. 13: Indiana (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 72, Indiana 60
- Dec. 20: vs. St. John’s (CBS Sports Classic; State Farm Arena, Atlanta) | SCORE: Kentucky 78, St. John’s 66
- Dec. 23: Bellarmine (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 99, Bellarmine 85
- Jan. 3: at Alabama | SCORE: Alabama 89, Kentucky 74
- Jan. 7: Missouri (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Missouri 73, Kentucky 68
- Jan. 10: Mississippi State (Rupp Arena), 8:30 p.m.
- Jan. 14: at LSU, 7 p.m.
- Jan. 17: at Tennessee, noon
- Jan. 21: Texas (Rupp Arena), 7 p.m.
- Jan. 24: Ole Miss (Rupp Arena), noon
- Jan. 27: at Vanderbilt, 9 p.m.
- Jan. 31: at Arkansas, 6:30 p.m.
- Feb. 4: Oklahoma (Rupp Arena), 9 p.m.
- Feb. 7: Tennessee (Rupp Arena), 8:30 p.m.
- Feb. 14: at Florida, 3 p.m.
- Feb. 17: Georgia (Rupp Arena), 9 p.m.
- Feb. 21: at Auburn, 8:30 p.m.
- Feb. 24: at South Carolina, 7 p.m.
- Feb. 28: Vanderbilt (Rupp Arena), 2 p.m.
- March 3: at Texas A&M, 7 p.m.
- March 7: Florida (Rupp Arena), 4 p.m.
Record: 9-6 (0-2 SEC)
- Denzel Aberdeen (guard, senior)
- Collin Chandler (guard, sophomore)
- Mouhamed Dioubate (forward, junior)
- Brandon Garrison (forward, junior)
- Braydon Hawthorne (forward, freshman)
- Walker Horn (guard, senior)
- Andrija Jelavić (forward, sophomore)
- Jasper Johnson (guard, freshman)
- Jaland Lowe (guard, junior)
- Malachi Moreno (center, freshman)
- Trent Noah (forward, sophomore)
- Otega Oweh (guard, senior)
- Reece Potter (forward, junior)
- Jayden Quaintance (forward, sophomore)
- Zach Tow (forward, senior)
- Kam Williams (guard, sophomore)
Click here to view the Bulldogs’ complete schedule.
Want to learn the Bulldogs’ roster?
Click here for player bios and more.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
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