planetdan

Thursday, February 10, 2005 :::

Chaos at IKEA

North London IKEA Opening Erupts into Riot

Do you think these kind of people are normal in every day life? Or are they always borderline rabid? I don't think I could ever get that frenzied over a Poäng chair or anything else no matter how hard I tried or how bad I wanted one. Which I don't.

I hope the three dollar desk lap was worth it. That spazzy-looking brit in the last pic needs a good wallop.

::: posted by dan at 4:57 PM :: [ link ] :: (21) comments

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21 previous comments:

If they love cheap, questionably made stuff - can imagine what happened at the first Gap opening?

I bet today was one of the days the British cops wished they'd had some guns or tasers or something.

Although, in fairness I did see a similar mob at the Clinique counter at Macy's last weekend. It is bonus time.

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Alyssa, at 6:55 PM

The things people do for free crap NEVER ceses to amaze me. The fact that they then often complain about he quality of said free crap amazes me even more.

They did the same thing when opening an Ikea here in San Diego and I kid you not, people waited in line for days for that free chair. One girl proudly announced to the news reporter that by being there she lost her job. Yeah. you have the free $99 chair, but no apartment to put it in. Congratulations!

I just got back from a trip to London, and you know, you could feel a slow rumbling... now I know why.

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elcynic, at 6:55 PM

Ok, so I read the WHOLE thing and man, they didn't give away a free chair like they did here... yikes. But I think this sums it all up:
" Jilal Patel, 29, from Tottenham, said: "I was queuing at 11am. Nothing is going to stop me from getting my sofa." "

Classy.

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elcynic, at 7:00 PM

I feel left out. I don't even know where the nearest IKEA is.

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stapler, at 8:13 PM

I hate IKEA with a fiery passion. I hate how some people think of IKEA as God's gift to mankind even more. Worst...store...ever.

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MC High Life, at 7:14 AM

let's face it - ALL brits need a good flogging. that's why they invented australia, and now australia can't get rid of the stench of british stupor, now matter how hard they try...

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Anonymous, at 7:16 AM

Question about middle picture: Were the selling Roumanian babies there, too?

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"the" Mrs. Astor, at 10:18 AM

My dad and my brother went to the grand opening of BEST, after it had changed over from LaBelle’s, and there was a give away to the first 100 people through the door, a digital watch. For YEARS after the watch band had broken my dad would bring it out and show people that it still worked, and it was free! What a deal!

I think those watches may have been what drove the wedge between my brother and father, my dad was so mad that Mike had lost his free watch so quickly, we’ll never know if they would both still be working or if my dad was just really really lucky!

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Kristina, at 10:25 AM

The same thing happened in United Arab Emirates when Ikea opened- except there, I think 3 people were trampled to death. I don't see the reason for the hysteria- I hate crowds. But, let's not start bashing IKEA products all together. I don't know about you mc high life, but I make very little money. IKEA furniture, while sometimes poorly made is cheap and looks decent. I would rather buy a $200 couch there, than a cheaper one from the Salvation Army that has other people's germs, etc on it. So unless you know where I can buy cheap, new furniture elsewhere lay off IKEA.

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Anonymous, at 11:16 AM

Yeah, I complain but without Ikea we wouldn't have about half of our furnature. Of course the joke is, my husband and I are in our thirties, we should be on the next furnature buying teir now. You know, used stuff from family members, Ikea, ACTUAL furnature store...

But I have to agree with the used couch bit. I'm a borderline germaphobe, I'll take from family, but the thought of having a strangers mite ridden couch. Ick. So... our $250 Ikea couch continues it's use until we can finally afford to move up a notch, I'm giving it another 5 years or so.

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elcynic, at 11:45 AM

Check out http://elitedesigners.org/

it is totally awesome. Although I fear it is an anti-ad campaign devised by IKEA. They are evil geniuses hell bent on ruling the world and sitting on a thrown of MDF and Gold Laminate.

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brent, at 12:18 PM

This post has been removed by a blog administrator.

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elcynic, at 12:54 PM

Anonymous: You can get cheap furniture at places like K Mart, Wal Mart, Sears, etc. The quality and prices are on par with IKEA.

A question is whether or not there would be such a riot if a similar sale was held at K Mart. Me thinks not. IKEA has a "culture of cool" about it that makes its cheap, diposable goods somehow "better" than K Mart's cheap, disposable goods. And that's why I don't like it. Sure, its a stupid reason but its just one of those things that really bother me. Same deal with Target but that's another story...

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MC High Life, at 3:22 PM

Who in the WORLD thinks Ikea is cool? It's just, well, Ikea.

But come now, you cannot compare Ikea to Wal-Mart. I mean there are SOOOOOOOOO many reasons NOT to shop at Wal-Mart. Quality (or lack there of) is somewhere in the middle. And really, have you been to a K-Mart lately? I prefer my goods not to have a fine film of Slurpee on them. Dirty dirty icky. But who knows, perhaps that's just true of the 3 or 4 left in San Diego. All just dismal. Sears, is MUCH more expensive then Ikea.

And as far as crouds... the Wal-Mart "Black Friday" riots make the news EVERY year. People have been stabbed over a $25 DVD player. And It's all just more of the same. I can't believe people whould act like thiis with ANY store, but the cheaper the stuff, the more it seems to happen.

I did look around (well, not at Wal-Mart, cuz I don't shop there.) And honestly, IKEA's products fit better with my style. It's not a particualrly COOL style, but it is what it is. So, was their stuff cuter then what K Mart had to offer... yep. Is it cheap crap? For the most part, of course it is. But it's cheep crap that looks good in my livingroom. For now. I mean granted, I tend to shy from anything they sell with moving parts (dressers? forget about it) but it is what it is. Beleve me, NO espersions are cast.. around here, the rallying cry is "I got a new job, no more Ikea!"

And don't be saying nothing about my Target! Heh. God, I loves me some Target...

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elcynic, at 5:31 PM

Tough, I've got to say, the ONLY time I will visit an Ikea is around 8 on a week night. Any other night and you are looking at justifiable homicide.

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elcynic, at 5:50 PM

haha, did you know that 10% of europeans are conceived in an Ikea bed? fascinating right?

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Roba, at 6:26 PM

and it wasnt in the UAE that three people were killed, it was in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where Ikea is big stuff. I like Ikea, they're so efficient.

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Roba, at 6:28 PM

elcynic: Don't get me wrong, I don't feel Wal Mart either. I think I've been in that place only once in the last two years.

Side story: The only reason I went there was to get clay pigeons. It was the only place left in my hometown that still sold them. Another example of Wal Mart dominating local businesses. Anyway, onward!

I'm still on hand me down furniture but now that I have a "real" job, new furniture is in the works. Will I be getting it at IKEA? Damn no. No K Mart either.

I guess I just view IKEA as another cog in the hipster scene: IKEA, Target, Friendster, Cooper Minis, ironic shirts, etc. I hate them all but I'm a bitter person who will cast wide stereotypes and boycott things simply out of spite.

Where am I going with this? Beats me. Rambling is one of my strong suits. Rant over.

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MC High Life, at 6:55 PM

Why did that woman in queue have pot plants?

My brother had a heart attack at an IKEA last year in Virginia/DC (he's fine now). We don't have an IKEA in Dallas, though one is opening this spring... I'll be sure to pack my riot gear!

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sparky, at 10:54 AM

MC- Oh I totally feel you. From my Betty Page bangs to my black square galsses to my 1970's Mickey Mouse shirt. (sadly, I'm not kidding) Yeah, the aging hipster, there's just nothing pretty about it. BUT, if it makes you feel ANY better, Our local hipsters (present company excluded, see above refrenced germ factor) wouldn't be caught dead with a piece of furniture made AFTER 1975. They find Ikea to be hopelessly unoriginal. I mean hell, you used to be able to count on the local Goodwill to furnish and appartment for under $200. But NO, the local "vintage" shops now clean them out, mark up the stuff, and have the 20-somethings arriving in droves.. bitter? Nah not a bit...

Southern California... whatchagonna do? (please, don't give suggestions)

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elcynic, at 11:28 PM

If you really need cheap furniture that looks good and you don't want to subject yourself to Ikea (I have vowed never to step foot in that soul-sucking hell hole of a store ever again) or Walmart (proud to say I've never been to one!), do something good for the environment and buy used.

I'm not talking about salvation army, but craiglist, ebay... I have found AMAZING furniture this way. If you're completely obsessed over cooties, you can always communicate with the sellers first to find out the state of the piece. If it's not described as "in perfect condition" or "extremely clean" keep looking.

And if you're still worried, rent a steam cleaner for $25 and clean it yourself. And then think about all the places you go that you CAN'T steam clean - the movies (3 or 4 people may have sat in that seat today and farted, picked their nose and wiped it who knows where or scratched their dandruffy heads), airplanes, restaurant, etc. Then get over it and enjoy your sofa or chair you scored for 10% of retail which did not go into landfill and probably will last longer than your shodilly made (and cheap-looking, I might add) sofa ever would have, thus saving two sofas from landfill destinies.

By

tcarole, at 1:37 PM

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