IKEA’s reaction? Says IKEA spokeswoman, Mona Astra Liss, “I thought it was very playful and fun and complimentary to our brand,” However, “We didn’t give [Seger] permission. People need to ask.”

The real question is, will there be an episode #5?

CREDITS: Directed by David Seger, shot by Paul Bartunek, written by David Seger, Spencer Strauss, Paul Bartunek, and Tom Kauffman. Produced and edited by David Seger and Paul Bartunek, co-produced by Delbert Shoopman and Tom Kauffman. Starring: Randall Park, Whitney Avalon, Tom Kauffman, Jess Lane, Dean Pelton, Wade Randolph, Abed Gheith and Delbert Shoopman. Special Thanks to IKEA for not noticing us shooting a whole show in their big cool store.

The private forum for TheIKEAWorld.com is being hosted at IKEAFANS.com, which has an established group of IKEA Co-Workers who are active on the forums. If you’re an IKEA Co-Worker and you’d like to join the IKEA Co-Worker’s Private Forum at IKEAFANS.com, send a request for an invite to: Susan@IKEAFANS.com.

Hej!

Apparently, this was a planned flashmob where Will Crum and croneys set up in IKEA Costa Mesa’s 175 square foot ‘home’ and played 3 or 4 songs before security pulled the plug. Anyone there?

I was told that we’d have some treats to sample, but I was pleasantly surprised at the expansive selection of food they had for us: salmon, caviar, herring, cheeses, fruit, pastries, ham, potatoes, fruit, and a nice array of desserts. I even had my first lingonberry juice – it was great!

We were divided into groups: I was in BUMERANG (as in the wooden hangers that IKEA later told us went down in price from $8.95/pack to now selling for $3.95/pack!)

As we toured the model rooms, I recognized most of the items from visiting other stores, the website, or the catalog. Nothing really jumped out at me as particularly unique, however I noticed that for others who were less familiar with IKEA, they “oohed” and “ahhed” at every turn.

The kitchen department at IKEA is my favorite. When we moved into our house five years ago, I knew we were going to have to redo the kitchen. It is “vintage” 1960s — and not in a good way. I have been living with an ugly, dysfunctional kitchen in the hopes that eventually we will be able to gut the whole thing and remodel it with all IKEA stuff. I just can’t imagine having any other kitchen! So I’ll keep putting up with the one I have until I can get the one I want. Pictured here is one of the kitchens at the IKEA Charlotte store that I really liked.

As I went through the tour I was trying to make mental notes of what I want to be sure to get when I come back on Opening Day. I have been writing and rewriting my shopping list for weeks. Of course, I have to remind myself that unlike before when I had to travel 4-6 hours to IKEA and load up on everything I could fit into the van, now I will have an IKEA only 35 minutes away. My new problem will be wanting to go every day! This is really an unfortunate time for me to be living on a smaller budget. But that’s what makes IKEA so awesome — you can get a lot of gorgeous and fun items for your home, and not ruin your budget.

Here is one of their showrooms that really inspired me. I have always loved that green color, and recently am using a lot of browns in my decorating. I also like how the IKEA designers work within color schemes so we can mix and match our purchases to create a personal, but pulled-together look.

As we headed down to the marketplace, I was reminded how much more there was to see! I always love walking through the lighting department. I think we have an IKEA light fixture in every room of our home.

After the tour, we were given a pack of fresh cinnamon rolls, a set of VARMELJUSHALLARE candles, a media kit on a flash drive, and several fliers to share with friends. And it all came in an IKEA small blue bag.

Overall, I was impressed, but not surprised, with the great job that the Charlotte store did. They extended a warm welcome to the press and showed us exactly why the IKEA concept is so inspiring.

Becky Knight

Fan page on Facebook: Queen City IKEA

Follow me on Twitter: @IKEA_Devotee

If you’re on Facebook, check out the Queen City IKEA Facebook page, and then join them for coffee at 10:30 on Opening Day! That would be February 18th, at the new IKEA Charlotte! If you’re in the door, that is. o.O. Jealous.

Long story short:

1. @OzDJ needed some shelves. 
2. @aDB was at the local IKEA.
3. @OzDJ bribed @aDB with some IKEA food and instant karma to check on the stock.
4. Less than an hour later, @aDB posted a picture on TwitPic as evidence of available stock.
5. Social Networking for the WIN!

I actually saw these tweets go by in my twitter stream, (!!) and having witnessed the same on IKEAFANS on many occasions, I nodded and went back to work. The difference here is IMMEDIACY. Within an hour, OzDJ had posted this picture of said stock:

Now, THAT’s the power of social networking. I always knew IKEA fans are just the best kind of people there are! Now, proof.

Check out the evolution of TwitterCaching that grew out of this exchange: #twittercache and OzDJ’s post about it here: Forget the Obama Inauguration – this is the first ever #twittercache.

Based in Raleigh, NC, Eco-Modernism.com is will not only bring your IKEA goods to you, owner Becky Shankle will design your kitchen or bathroom and assemble and/or install for you as well.  Prices for the IKEA-run service range from flat fees starting at $30 for purchases under $99 to a 22% for purchases over $501. IKEA runs to the Woodbridge, VA store are scheduled monthly (sometimes twice a month!), and the schedule is featured prominently on the site.

Local delivery can also be arranged for an additional fee. Fees for design or assembly/install services are available by contacting eco-modernism directly through email. Catch up with Becky via Twitter @ecomod

The husband and wife team, William Crozer and Carrie Mauriello Crozer, are the life-blood behind ModernLV, whose stated mission is to be the “leaders of the IKEA tribe in Las Vegas.”1 Prices range from a $15 flat fee for orders under $60 to a 20% – 29% percentage of total cost for IKEA orders totalling more than $60.

The duo travel to IKEA in Southern California and though ModernLV doesn’t post an IKEA run schedule on their site, but will email you with updates on planned IKEA runs if you sign up through their site.  ModernLV utilizes CarbonFund.org to offset the carbon footprint of every trip to IKEA. Follow @modernLV on Twitter to get updates from the store!

Nick Ray is the voice of ModerNash – the guy who will amiably chat with you on the phone and respond to your emails about IKEA deliveries to the Nashville, TN area, and his partner, David Molnar apparently makes things pretty. ModerNash offers home delivery for an additional fee and they’ll even assemble for you.  They also maintain a warehouse with items In-Stock that you can purchase directly from their warehouse location.

ModerNash has a weekly schedule for runs to IKEA Atlanta posted on the site. There is an on-site calculator for figuring out the service fees involved in your purchase. After every IKEA run, they protect an acre of rainforest through donations to Conservation International.

Are there other IKEA run / local delivery services? We think so!  Tell us about your experiences, or who your company is. We’d like to know about you!

_______________________________________________

1. Kristen Peterson, William Crozer and Carrie Mauriello Crozer, Las Vegas Sun, accessed January 2, 2009.

An American Jewish-Swedish Chanukah Celebration… In Orlando.

Who: Orlando Jewish Theater / Brian Feldman Projects

What: ChanuIKEA® – Brian Feldman (Best Performance Art – Orlando Weekly’s Best of Orlando 2008), invites you to join him for this Jewish-Swedish celebration where you may order anything off the IKEA® Orlando Restaurant menu, at your expense, and then dine together during the last night of Chanukah. There will be dreidels, there will be electric menorahs, there will be Swedish Fish®. If you happen to have a dreidel or an electric menorah, bring it! (The more the Chanukahier!) After dining, we will wander, like our ancestors did, through the IKEA® Lighting Department and join together in singing Peter Yarrow’s (Peter, Paul & Mary) Chanukah classic, “Light One Candle.” Next year in Älmhult!

When & Where: Sunday, December 28, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. (Eighth Night of Chanukah)

@ IKEA® Orlando Restaurant & Lighting Department

4092 Eastgate Dr. Orlando, FL 32839 (Conroy Road Exit, East of I-4)

How Much: Free to attend. You are invited to join Brian Feldman at his table and order anything off the IKEA® Orlando Restaurant menu, at your expense.

Credit Where Credit Is Due: ChanuIKEA® was coined by Brian Feldman’s dad, Edward Alan Feldman, during Cracker Barrel® Old Country Chanukah. (He is a Photoshop® Genius!)

Disclaimer: While this event is not sanctioned, endorsed or sponsored by INGKA Holding B.V., IKEA Holding S.A., Inter IKEA Systems B.V. or IKEA North America Services, LLC., they are cool with it. There is no reason to contact IKEA® Orlando regarding this event. It just is what it is. Thank you, IKEA® (and Chanukah) fans!

ChanuIKEA® is the second presentation of Orlando Jewish Theater, whose mission is to produce innovative arts programming that exists on the periphery of the American Jewish experience, and which always raises more questions than answers. Upcoming 2008-2009 Inaugural Season events include “Kiss Me, I’m Jewish.” (4/20+21/09) and The Diary of Anne Frank (6/11-13/09). Follow us @ http://twitter.com/OrlandoJewish.

Have fun! We’d love to hear all about it and see pictures!

Four mothers in the UK were ejected from the IKEA cafeteria in Bletchley and later received an official apology from both from IKEA management in Sweden and the local store manager.  Why?  Perhaps because not everyone understands homeschooling.

The four homeschooling families have been in the habit of meeting every Monday in the IKEA cafeteria for coffee and a quiet play session, consisting of board and card games and other quiet activities. Recently 6 IKEA co-workers confronted the group and they were ejected from the store for reasons varying from taking up too much room (the cafeteria was 1/2 empty) to bringing outside food (two moms brought food for their babies) and even the highly dubious statement that the kids games were “gambling” and against store rules. One of the co-workers said:  ”I don’t see much education going on.”

One of the mom’s involved, Shoshana Toothill, started an email campaign urging other homeschoolers to boycott IKEA as well as emailing IKEA representatives in Almhult.  Last week the mothers involved were invited back to meet with the store manager: ”He was very, very nice. He apologised and was very positive and encouraging. He said mums and children were core Ikea customers and we were welcome any time.”

So.

The irony? The co-worker that didn’t see “much education going on” was in FACT teaching a very important lesson at that very moment: People sometimes make mistakes, simply because of their perspective at the moment that they make a decision.

IKEA has a very deeply entrenched policy of being a family friendly store, but despite that, the co-workers involved saw a group monopolizing tables and not buying much.  I’m willing to bet that the store manager saw a group of 4 mothers that make a habit of coming into his store every week, which is exactly what any manager would want.

In any case as fellow homeschoolers, we’d like to say kudos to Shoshana of Galley Hill! And thanks to Sally Murrer and the Milton Keynes Citizen for the original article: Play ban lifted, on the orders of Ikea’s big boss