I Just Went To IKEA For The First Time - WOW!!!

[antmaril]

My DH, DS and I decided this morning to go to the new Ikea store which opened in our area. There was a lot of "hoopla" about the opening of this store. People were camped out overnight before the opening. It was a pretty big deal around here. That was several weeks ago. We thought it would be safe to give it a try today. Boy, were we wrong -- it was packed!!!

In spite of the crowd, we thought it was great. HUGE and so many things to choose from. Everything is so reasonable and a decent quality. Perfect for young people furnishing a first apartment or a dorm room. We actually liked some kitchen cabinets we saw. It would be a pretty inexpensive way to update our kitchen. We would like to go back (maybe on a weekday) and spend a little more time.

Anyway, I thought IKEA was fun and hope to return soon.

 

[~queenie~]

today was my frist trip to ikea too!! Boy was it great!! Wish I had more time to spend there though!

 

[paigevz]

When the one in Frisco opened, some lady spent days camped out there..........I don't remember how many, but more than 4! She had a lawn chair, a portable TV and a portable fridge or a cooler.............her husband brought her by food every day. She had kids at home too. They were going to give the first customer a shopping spree, so she said the kids wanted her to stay there and kept bringing her lists of what they wanted when she got in.

I like it, too, but it's so big that I never do get to everything. I also don't like Swedish food, I discovered, so I hate lunching there.

 

[Planogirl]

But if you like the food like we do, it's a heck of a bargain. They have a $0.99 breakfast every day that is quite good and if the kids need a snack, hot dogs are just $0.50.

I've always liked IKEA and find that it's a mix of inexpensive so-so quality and reasonably priced good quality. I like the styles and space-saving ideas, and I agree that it would be great to use them to redo a kitchen.

 

[Stacerita]

We like IKEA. Well, for the most part. I always feel like a mouse trapped in a maze when I'm in there. Once you are walking, you need to commit all the way to the exit. And if not, they you are feeling like you are swimming up stream. Other than that, I like it.

 

[buckylarue]

It took a good 2-3 months for the crowds to die down a bit at the Mall of America IKEA after the grand opening, and it is still a zoo on the weekends. We did go there for breakfast today though, and picked up a few little things for the kitchen on our way out!

We're looking at possibly relocating, and one of our criteria is, the new place has to have easy access to an IKEA!

 

[liamandcaili]

I've never been in an IKEA, although there is one nearby, but I did shop them online and got exactly what I wanted for mountable spice racks and cookbook shelves for my kitchen. I couldn't find this anywhere else, unless I wanted to spend a fortune, and even if I did, it wasn't exactly what I was looking for. I was very impressed with IKEA and I would shop there again.

 

[Carl]

Any of you driving a VW that got stuck at an overpass?

 

[LadyyRedd]

I love IKEA. I don't do the furniture so much as all the knick knack, kitchen and home decor stuff. We have THREE of them within a 1 hour radius.

Kimya

 

[Barb D]

Hey, we're not young or just starting out, but much of the furniture in our house (including the desk I'm sitting at now) is from Ikea. We can't afford expensive furniture.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

When the one in Frisco opened, some lady spent days camped out there..........I don't remember how many, but more than 4! She had a lawn chair, a portable TV and a portable fridge or a cooler.............her husband brought her by food every day. She had kids at home too. They were going to give the first customer a shopping spree, so she said the kids wanted her to stay there and kept bringing her lists of what they wanted when she got in.

I like it, too, but it's so big that I never do get to everything. I also don't like Swedish food, I discovered, so I hate lunching there.

Don't you know why they camp out? The first person in line gets a huge gift certificate and the next couple get them also. I cannot remember the amounts but it is enough to furnish a few rooms or get cabinets at Ikea.

 

[Minniespal]

Don't visit often but I like IKEA.

 

[Pixiedust34]

Ikea has good cookies in addition to their food in cafeteria. We always buy a package when we are there.

It tends to get much more crowded on weekends than on weekdays.

 

[kdibattista]

The crowds never die down... seriously. We had IKEA a few minutes from us and it was busy... for the 10 years or so that it was there. They opened a new bigger location a couple miles away a few years ago and I still haven't gone. The traffic is insane.

 

[trex220]

I've been shopping at IKEA for years and love their furniture. I have a desk and two 6 foot cabinets in my office that I've had for at least 15 years. Their directions for assembly sometimes leave a little to be desired, but, if you happen to purchase more that 1 of a particular item, you're in luck. Once you figure out the assembly of the first one, the rest are easy. My entire family room is also IKEA furniture (leather sleep sofa, two chairs and an entertainment center). I also love their housewares section -- all kinds of kitchen items at reasonable prices.

I definitely find it worth the 45 minutes that it takes me to get there.

 

[stacy347]

My DH, DS and I decided this morning to go to the new Ikea store which opened in our area. There was a lot of "hoopla" about the opening of this store. People were camped out overnight before the opening. It was a pretty big deal around here.

antmaril ~ I work about 2 miles down from the Ikea that you're talking about. I haven't been brave enough to fight through the crowds to get there yet but I do know that the first week it opened up, I had to give myself an extra 1/2 hour to get to work because they literally were stopping traffic in the middle of Ford Rd so that the police could walk people over to Ikea . At one point I had to sit through the same light 3 times because there were so many people crossing, LOL. I've seen a lot of grand openings in that area but NEVER anything like what happened with Ikea...I'm going to have to head in there and see what all the fuss is about I suppose. We just bought a new house and need to fill it up!

 

[hentob]

The crowds never die down... seriously. We had IKEA a few minutes from us and it was busy... for the 10 years or so that it was there. They opened a new bigger location a couple miles away a few years ago and I still haven't gone. The traffic is insane.

I bet you are talking about the one that went from Plymoth Meeting to Alan Wood Rd. in Consohocken! BEYOND crowded. Always.

 

[kdibattista]

I bet you are talking about the one that went from Plymoth Meeting to Alan Wood Rd. in Consohocken! BEYOND crowded. Always.

... how did you guess

 

[Sammy]

Thanks so much for those of you who posted about the quality of the IKEA furniture. We have a new store about 1 hour from us, but I've been hesitant to travel there only to find out the quality is not good. We recently turned an old, attached garage room into a "teen hangout", and are trying to furnish it cheaply, but with some funky decor. It looks like IKEA may be the perfect solution! I think I'll try to go during the week, though....I'm sure the weekend crowds are insane!

 

[Brianne]

I'm jealous! I've never been in an IKEA although I've heard people rave about it. The closest one right now is in Georgia but I guess they're building one near the Fort Lauderdale/Miami region. Still a bit far to convince DH to drive to one.