Saartje just loves her new basket we bought at IKEA this evening.
By Look at my photos @ IKEA Lovers/FLICKR
© All rights reserved
. Used with permission.
Clouseau checks the new couch
By leff @ IKEA Lovers/FLICKR
Some rights reserved.
“Paris Hilton has designed her own posh-looking jewelry for pups. Burberry
has added an ultra chic Burberry Dog collection. IKEA has extended its home
furnishings collection to include pets. And this is just the beginning…
“People consider their pets as part of the family. And IKEA always strives
to provide ‘something for everybody,’ even those with fur,” says Janice
Simonsen, spokesperson for IKEA, which introduced its PÄLS pet products in March
of last year. Pet beds and pet collars are among IKEA’s best selling doggie
products…”
Brand Explosion
By Maria Coder
@ Pampered Puppy
…
Yes, your pets’ photos are welcome!
…
Update 8.51p CST
http:// www.verybigdesign.com/ikea/ is now OHIKEA.COM Yay!
Pets
We felt we need to call attention to Lynn’s recent plight to improve store experience in the future.
“How about making your stores a bit more user friendly? We are both disabled,
but found the perfect two tables for our needs in your catalog. Since your store
is less then three miles from us, we decided to drive over today, thinking that
we were as up to the task as we’ll ever get.
First, right next to the escalator near the front door with the sign
above it saying “Start here” were the shopping carts. The escalator wasn’t wide
enough for the carts. Then, since the tables weren’t specifically for any
particular room, we had to roam most of the way around the mile long (not
counting the roving in and out of areas) floor looking at furniture we didn’t
need.
We found one table we wanted, but discovered we were supposed to travel
all the way to the other end of the second floor, down an elevator (now we find
an elevator that the cart could have fit in), and then across another large
showroom, before getting to the “Self-Service” area. (We would have been happy
to pay for help, had we found anyone to help us.) And, even after finding the
area, we had to sit for a minute, on one of two benches we found throughout the
store — the other one a mere twenty yards from the first one — before getting
the energy to travel through half of that area (roughly the size of a Staples
store in that one area alone.)…”
“Customers Are Always Right”
by Lynn Petroski
LINK
Image: “IKEA 360°” by T-Mix @ FLICKR
Some rights reserved.
Please note that Positive Fanatics is not part of IKEA and all customer service issues are better served by contacting the company directly.
Opinions
They call it “IKEA envy” – an almost unbearable affliction with symptoms ranging from constant catalog browsing to calling the local town planners. It can also manifest itself in a big, blog-gy way:
“…Nothing against those in other places who come here to plead for Ikea
in your states too, or even suggest I expand this into some huge IKEA BegBlog
for all the flyover states going without Swedish design, but (and sorry to be
blunt) – if it ain’t Ohio I don’t care. I feel your pain, I do really, but I was
raised in the ME generation. *I* want an IKEA where *I* live. Getting one in
Ohio is my only goal.
If you want Ikea in your state, please feel free to start your own
Ikea blog for your state! Take what I have here as a model on what to do. It
will get noticed and it just might work for all of us. Just look at all the
press notice this little blog has gotten in just over a year! There is more
than enough room for all of us to be begging for ligonberries in our respective
dialects. I would be happy to link to every one of them here!”
Jen @ OHIKEA
Image: Salzgitter-Flachstahl
…
Or you can start your campaign right here!
Store Openings
“IKEA sufferers inhabit a special kind of Hell. No matter how painful your Ikea
shopping experience was, you’ll keep going back again and again. You’re not
alone.”
IKEAphobia the Movie Musical just premiered. (in 2004, from what I see in the credits)
Get the popcorn, turn down the lights and enjoy.
VIEW
[Bravissimo BillyD!]
Television and Video
This could very well be the beginning of our Monday “Cuteness Attack” tradition.
“First trip to IKEA, first swedish meatballs”
By Nordensved @ FLICKR
© All rights reserved. Used with permission.
Food and Drink
To me, its just a store but some people feel compelled by the spirit, still others are paid to analyze (or tell people they are compelled by some spirit) and so the long journey to enlightenment continues.
“…the people who flock to Ikea during the sales really are like pilgrims flocking
to a shrine or temple, while those who more calmly make their way to the shops
at the weekend are akin to those who go to church on the sabbath. Shopping has
taken on a whole raft of functions that religions used to take care of. Human
beings seem to crave ritual, and shopping is the modern ritual par excellence.
Many people will go shopping on the same day almost every week, visiting the
same shops. They will stop off for a coffee at the usual time and will often
meet friends while on their trips. The weekly shop provides comforting
regularity, just as regular worship once did.”
Assembly Required
By Julian Baggini
Guardian Unlimited
Image: “O the glory of Ikea”
By Mathowie (yes, that Mathowie 
@ FLICKR.
Some rights reserved. Used with permission.
Photography
From Denmark here’s an excruciatingly detailed record of how “Billy, The Bookcase” came into being.
“… When we arrived at the main floor it didn’t take long for us to find a
small transport vehicle. With thanks to the good information signs (placed
everywhere) we found the stock for shelves after short time. Now we had to find
all the needed materials (hopefully in the same color). With some help of a
friendly staff member Philipp placed the main material safely on the
vehicle.
But: One of the shelves Philipp wanted, was hidden from us and was
barely reachable, as you can see on the second picture above! With some
acrobatic ability Philipp managed to get his hands on the shelf…”
Billy: The Bookcase
By Philipp Gerhardy
LINK
Projects
“It finally arrived this weekend :: IKEA 2006. An unexpected surprise — the best kind of all!
I’m a dork for IKEA.
I make no apologies.”
“Date with IKEA” by Pinkbelt @ IKEA Lovers/FLICKR
Some rights reserved. Thanks Joy!
…
I know its not quite Monday in the U.S. yet but hey it is already in some IKEAs anyway.:)
Photography
© 2005 ABF
Its been a long but exciting first week. Thanks to Jeff Jarvis, Digg and the Guardian Unlimited News Blog for the mentions. We’re also in the latest Hobson and Holtz Report podcast. See y’all on Monday!
Cartoons
I just got back from a visit to the new IKEA store in Bolingbrook, IL. Traffic was mercifully light going there and we left early to avoid the mad rush from the returning Thanksgiving crowd.
Yeah, yeah they all look alike but at least here’s a shot of the lobby.
We met these vistors from San Diego and St. Louis. Kim Schumacher (left) introduced friends Melissa and Joan to the store. Did I hear about a trailer on the next trip ladies?
There were the usual artsy shots…
…and meatballs.
Then it was time to go. We’ll share more of the photos at the gallery soon.
Images: © 2005 ABF
Thanks to Mary-Alice Bier, PR Chicago and the management and staff of IKEA Bolingbrook for their warm accommodation.
Current Affairs
