After weeks of hearing about the new IKEA store just off I-75 at exit 19, our curiosity got the best of us and we decided to go see for ourselves. The first notable is that I-75 seems to be under construction from here to the Ohio River or at least all the way to exit 19. The posted speed limit is 55mph and it is heavily patrolled. My sympathies are running high for anyone who has to make that commute on a daily basis.
The second notable is the size of the place – without a doubt, the IKEA store has more square footage of shopping space than all the retail stores in Yellow Springs put together. It’s so big that they paint arrows on the floor to guide you from one department to the next and honestly, without those arrows, we might still be there wandering around with other folks oh-ing and ah-ing over the displays and the prices.
IKEA is definitely a one stop shopping experience where you can get everything you need to furnish an apartment, house or college dorm room. If you have trouble making decisions, this is not the place to shop. A display of desks offered at least 15 different variations for the top – black, white, dots, stripes, plastic, wood, glass, etc. You get the idea. And every department is just like that – a zillion choices for every room in the house.
I did learn a few things on this visit. First, you can find most any household item at IKEA and the prices are reasonable. Second, I’m glad we don’t have one of these super boxes in our backyard. And third, whenever possible, I’d rather spend a little more to buy something in town than fight the traffic and crowds to go with a big name retailer.
Oh, and one more thing. Should we paint some of those arrow things on the sidewalks to help guide Village visitors from one end of town to the other?
A. Reader
Editor's note: I have not been to the new store, but I used to go to one in New York all the time. I rarely bought anything, but is was a fun afternoon out. As I recall, the store was set up so that if you followed those arrows from the time you entered, they led you through every department and out a different door. If you tried to go back and find something you passed on the way, you could be lost for hours.
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6 comments:
I love IKEA but I only go when I need duvet covers (best choices and prices around) and a few other small items and usually only on a SUn morning seconds after the doors open. It's usually pretty empty for at least an hour, PLUS the lamp and mirror section is a blind spot (cell phone wise) so we make sure to NEVER lose each other in that section lOL!
I could never figure out why duvet covers in the regular shops around here were so darned plain and expensive, so I am delighted with IKEA's range.
Uh...maybe they're expensive because no one knows what they are and therefor the demand is low. What is a "duvet" and what happens to their covers that necessitates frequent replacement?
We recently had an IKEA open in Tampa about an hour north of where we live... a totally different shopping experience! Fun and very reasonable prices!
We've gotten some great stuff at IKEA (glasses, dinnerware, shelving) and some junk (a milk frother that barely works). Caveat emptor. Their oatmeal cookies are outstanding & quite inexpensive. IKEA's a fun place to visit but their transparent attempt to keep you lost so you stay longer and buy more is unconscionable.
It seems like some of the stuff is expensive and some of it is a bargain. We bought a very simple computer desk there over ten years ago that we still use.
I never thought about them getting us lost on purpose. Diabolical...
A new book on cheap, shoddy, designer-look merchandise uses IKEA as a case in point, with an added focus on their squeezing of suppliers that results in low pay, etc.
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