Talk of the Town

By Kiesii

June 29, 2005 11:19 AM | Link to this

Greetings, I camped out with my friend early Wednesday morning. We waited several, long humid hours and alas…no gift cards were given out to the first 20,000 folks as their website advertised. I was dissapointed. It definitely was not worth the wait. The store is cool though:-)

By Ginny

June 29, 2005 11:28 AM | Link to this

I was in the first 100 people and received a chair and gift card, just like the website says. I believe the “20,000” reference mentioned by Kiessi is to the # of items that will be given away during the opening week. It was definitely worth the wait!

By Rich

June 29, 2005 01:15 PM | Link to this

I was not in line. I have a house full of fine furniture and do not intend to bargain shop for low end furniture.

By Don Payne

June 29, 2005 01:21 PM | Link to this

Get a life people. The store isnt going anywhere.

By JohnB

June 29, 2005 01:29 PM | Link to this

Wow, you people who waited in line, took off work for low end furniture are winners.

By Christi

June 29, 2005 01:30 PM | Link to this

I’ve been waiting for this to open for awhile, so I’m pretty excited. Excited enough to camp out for a week? No. But excited enough to head down after work for an opening day run through. :)

By Kiessi

June 29, 2005 01:34 PM | Link to this

Kiessi just didn’t read it right. The pre-print in Sunday’s paper & the website BOTH say that 20,000 cards will be given randomly to people from June 29 thru July 4.

By Don

June 29, 2005 01:48 PM | Link to this

I’ve shopped several times at the Plymouth Meeting, PA store. While I wouldn’t expect to get heirloom quality furniture, much of the seating choices come with removable washable covers. This is ideal for families with small children. I personally like the kitchen cookware, utensils, organizers and lighting.

By sven

June 29, 2005 02:12 PM | Link to this

no time to write, on my way to IKEA WOOOHHOOOOO!

By Michelle

June 29, 2005 02:27 PM | Link to this

Congrats to all those that stood in line in the heat and humidity. I was there on Saturday for Friends and Family day and it was great! For those that are poo-pooing the “low-endness” or quality of the furniture, please stay out so that the rest of us that want it can get to it! See you there after work!

By vanessa

June 29, 2005 02:33 PM | Link to this

It’s about time. I’ve been a long time favorite shopper of IKEA in other states and used online ordering here. Now I can go to the store and see the items in person. I may wait for the fuss to die down before I make a trip to the store.

By russ

June 29, 2005 03:02 PM | Link to this

All I can say is get a life, get a job or some combination of both. At least the unemployment offices were fairly empty today.

By Lee

June 29, 2005 03:18 PM | Link to this

I went to the IKEA in San Diego, and it was a rat maze. You couldn’t run in and out with an item. You had to go through the path that takes you through the WHOLE store, no matter what you wanted.

I decided after that one time that if I get anything from IKEA, I’ll get it from the catalog, not the store.

Good luck all you little rats going through the maze!

By JB

June 29, 2005 03:22 PM | Link to this

I’ve gone to the IKEA in Pittsburgh whenever I’m home visiting family. My daughter is moving to Atlanta the end of July, so we plan on making a special trip to this IKEA for the finishing touches on her appartment. Excited — YES — crazy enough to go on a weekend — NO.

By Treese

June 29, 2005 03:40 PM | Link to this

Ya know, not everyone has a lot of money for “fine” furniture, and it sure beats out walmart. Sensibly priced furniture for the average working person, it’s a good solution. So, before you point your noses up in the air at people spending what they work hard for on “low end” furniture, take a look in the mirror and judge yourself.

By Bob

June 29, 2005 03:41 PM | Link to this

I’d like to think the people that have time to camp out for a furniture store opening would use it for a more worthwile venture, such as working at a food bank or doing habitat for humanity. Seems a bit unnecessary to me, but what do I know? Maybe all the furniture will be gone after the first day.

By Annie

June 29, 2005 03:50 PM | Link to this

Opening week is going to be a zoo! I’ll see you guys at IKEA next week. Their price point and quality is great for people (like me) who like sturdy, trendy, inexpensive furniture.

By Dante

June 29, 2005 03:51 PM | Link to this

It’s about time…I LOVE IKEA!!!!!!!

By B.S.

June 29, 2005 03:58 PM | Link to this

Loosely translated, I believe IKEA means compressed fiberboard furniture for that first apartment in Swedish.

By Alex

June 29, 2005 05:10 PM | Link to this

IKEA= stylish, practical, very affordable furniture for the sensibly hip. If you love IKEA, you love it. Period. If you have lived in a city that has an IKEA before, you’ll understand. If not, you soon will.

By sharise

June 29, 2005 07:26 PM | Link to this

It’s funny how people keep saying IKEA has low end furniture or it’s not worth the wait, they have obviously never heard of the store however if certain people would do their research,the people who camped out were not employed or took vacation, heck I would of done it for a 4,000 gift cert., if i wasn’t in the medical field. The first person in line was a recent graduate from georgia state and a newlywed, sometimes after college not everyone can get a job and most likey don’t have the big bucks to get fine fabu furniture everybody has a starting point. Hey even MTV used IKEA’s furniture for the first couple of seasons on Real World, I guess they’re cheap too. As stated before anyone who’s been to an IKEA understands and if you’ve never been you’ll soon fall victim, they have great nic nacs for the house and if you accidently break a wine glass go to IKEA and get it for the low,it’s not just furniture. Simply put THANK YOU IKEA for coming to ATL, NJ and VA are to far. You are all the rage, rock on.

By j'e

June 29, 2005 10:33 PM | Link to this

IKEA is great fun - even those with higher end furniture can find tons of amusing accessories. Some of us move around the country a lot, believe me when I say its not worth carting a ton of heirloom quality furniture around. Ikea furniture may be “low end”, but I like change and I’m way ok with selling off the old and bringing in the new. I dont personally want to look at Granny’s furniture for the next 40 years. Change is good, new furniture makes your digs look like a whole new house without moving. Yay IKEA - see ya in August when the novelty wears off! :)

By Tom

June 29, 2005 10:41 PM | Link to this

How much did the IKEA company pay the AJC for all this “journalism?” I don’t remember any other store opening generating so many “stories” in my over 12 years in Atlanta.

By kim

June 30, 2005 12:01 AM | Link to this

oh wow. That man at the end needed to be serving real champagne, because - I’ve been excited about this for years (hey, sorry I can’t afford the cool furniture I’d like from Space or Cantoni) - but to trudge through this, with all the people.. and every conversation saying, “well, we’ll come back and…”; folks, the end to the crowds is not near! I’m just saying. I’m shocked and saddened, but - don’t believe all the hype.

By CHERYL

June 30, 2005 08:35 AM | Link to this

I am soooo happy Ikea is finally here. Yes there furntiture is lowend. However, they have great knick knack knds of stuff, great organizers etc. so believe me, there is something for everyone in Ikea.

By camille

June 30, 2005 08:44 AM | Link to this

I have never visited an Ikea before, but I had heard many things about it from my best friend, who, in fact, is an interior design major at the Art Institute. I LOVED IT SO MUCH!! I am moving into my first place and Ikea is the perfect place for all my furniture needs. So I am one of those people who took the day off to be there. Camping out in the heat=I am an original Atlantan, so I am not crazy, but going later that day, Greatest decision I have made in a long time!!

By RMS

June 30, 2005 08:59 AM | Link to this

I rather get my furniture at Wal-Mart…at least I get low end-low priced furniture :)

By Michelle

June 30, 2005 09:54 AM | Link to this

I love IKEA …I recently had to furnish an apartment and went to a high end store for “fine furniture” only to buy a several hundred dollar dresser that had cardboard bottoms and sides that fell apart two months later. Sure IKEA sells the same thing, but for a 1/3 of the cost. Not everyone has loads of money to waste on furniture and I appreciate that IKEA was designed for those who want cool looking contemporary furniture that can be replaced later on if needed.

By Lee

June 30, 2005 09:55 AM | Link to this

IKEA will be giving some businesses in Atlanta a run for the money!

It is not only about furniture. Compare the prices on home organization products to the Container Store and others and IKEA is about 1/3 to 1/2 the price.

Housewares are also a great deal including everything from glassware to 18/10 stainless tri-ply cookware.

Lighting products are about 1/2 the price of Home Depot and they have a great selection of kitchen cabinets too.

So, if you think IKEA is just about low end furniture think again and their restaurant sure beats the mall food court too!

By lozen

June 30, 2005 10:03 AM | Link to this

Isn’t it amazing how some people will blatantly flaunt their snobbish selves anywhere and anyhow they can?

By David

June 30, 2005 10:17 AM | Link to this

After reading about all the people camping out I have concluded there are some pretty, um… uh, people with brain matter issues. I love Ikea as well and plan on going next week, but I can’t believe some of the dingbat quotes I just read from people who showed up days ahead of time.

By Lollie

June 30, 2005 10:31 AM | Link to this

Drove right into the 60% filled underground parking lot on opening afternoon after waiting for the overzealous police to remove barriers on all roads approaching the store. After a reasonably priced and healthy lunch in the store cafeteria, we got that bookcase that we had postponed until IKEA arrived. It is brilliantly designed but we still spent half the night assembling. Sure looks good this morning.

By Tom Cordell

June 30, 2005 11:33 AM | Link to this

Good Grief…its just a furniture store not the second comming…get a life… Tom Cordell

By Chris

June 30, 2005 11:57 AM | Link to this

Wow, the minions still can’t think for themselves and must believe everything that is overhyped.

Maybe people should try to do something constructive to help themselves or the world better. With all the time wasted by waiting in line for a furniture store to open (or to be rejected on American Idol), couldn’t these people’s time and resources be better used towards improving the world we live in?

By Ellen

June 30, 2005 12:22 PM | Link to this

I was number 48 in line, am enjoying my very nice free chair immensely, and didn’t even have to take off of work. It was a great experience and you guys that keep telling us to get a life… what’s so wrong about getting excited about something?
This was my second visit to an IKEA after going to the Singapore store and as soon as I graduate from GT and get a place of my own, it will be filled with the quality (not low-end), snazzy, cheap furniture from IKEA! check out my photos from the campout

By Alan

June 30, 2005 12:32 PM | Link to this

Folks, it’s just a FURNITURE store. Whatever is for sale now will be for sale in a month.

By K

June 30, 2005 12:49 PM | Link to this

I don’t care what anybody says! I am from Southern CA and am so glad that Ikea is finally here in Atlanta! It is long overdue and will lift Atlanta out of the “country city” category! So you Rooms to Go clones can just go to ….. and for those who are stuck on this “low end” perception, any fool can pay alot of money for anything. Ikea’s products are quality at a great value. I’ve purchased plenty, years ago, directly from the store and via mail order and the furniture is in the same condition as when I bought it. So in the spirit of Ikea shoppers, I say YAY to IKEA and look forward to more openings in the metro Atlanta area.

By gIL

June 30, 2005 01:06 PM | Link to this

I have been to IKEA many times, and it’s a great experience. It was very smart of the store to open in the Atlanta area.

By Hung Low

June 30, 2005 01:25 PM | Link to this

I never been to Ikea. I just checked out their website and am NOT impressed. I hope the store has a lot more to offer. And you people who camped out are crazy. The store isn’t going anywhere. If your going to camp out, do it for something more beneficial and fullfilling… like Falcon tickets.

By Shane

June 30, 2005 01:32 PM | Link to this

I think a decent metro system and getting rid of antiquated blue laws will go a lot farther to improve Atlanta’s stature than some foreign furniture outlet. If you don’t like living in this “country city’, the exit door is always open. By the way, AJC, good job on covering this hard-hitting, gritty piece of journalism. I am sure the New York Times and Washington Post are green with envy that they don’t cover IKEA openings in this manner.

By Justin (KFJ)

June 30, 2005 01:45 PM | Link to this

I used to live in DC and think that while IKEA’s furniture isn’t going to be handed down to your grandchildren, it is stylish and pretty inexpensive. Think of it as the Old Navy of the furniture world.

My problem with IKEA is not with their products, but with the insane traffic situation it has brought with it on northside. For years, those of us in the neighborhoods around IKEA have eaglerly discussed its arrival, but now that it has opened I wish it was in buckhead instead of midtown. A trip from Tech to my house that usually takes about 8 minutes took 25 minutes yesterday due to all of the folks going to shop. Is this what my Saturdays and Sundays are going to be like now?? I can only imagine how much worse its going to get when the rest of Atlantic Station opens.

I am thinking about moving further west in town to escape it!

By Robert

June 30, 2005 01:53 PM | Link to this

To all of you that waited in lines for hours, get a life. You have serious issues if you will wait in line for hours to go in a furniture store that will be there next week or next month. You people acted like the store was packing up and leaving after day 1. Do you people have jobs? My boss would think I had lost it if I told him I needed some time off to camp out in front of IKEA, and I definitely wouldn’t have used a vacation day for it. That fiasco yesterday was as bad as watching people camp out for movies.

By gil

June 30, 2005 02:07 PM | Link to this

To the naysayers who complain about it being a place for cheap furniture, people camping out all night, etc. Why don’t YOU get a life?. Is anyone telling you what to do? Not only is it providing a great shopping atmosphere, but is bringing much needed jobs to the area as well.

By charina

June 30, 2005 03:02 PM | Link to this

As a New Yorker, I have shopped at IKEA serveral times. I love it!!! Granted I never seen this kind of response.. but it’s great. Ikea has a little something for every room and everyone. For those of us (including myself) who have “higher end” furniture, Ikea is a great place for that unique lamp or funky curtins.

And those of us who are on a budget.. Ikea can give your place the cool clean look. So don’t point your noise up as once you visit the store, you may discover that there may be somthing there for you too.

By MM

June 30, 2005 06:14 PM | Link to this

Mmmm.. Meatballs…

By erica

June 30, 2005 08:52 PM | Link to this

i feel sorry for the people that think taking time out of their lives for some fun is such a terrible thing! maybe you don’t think a furniture store opening is fun. but what do you care what I do for fun? why should i take time off from work and do what YOU think i should do. are you really arrogant enough to think i should take time out of MY life something you think is more constructive?

i work extremely stressful and long hours for a living and i spend my day taking care of other people. do i (or anyone for that matter) not deserve to take time off for myself? if i don’t take time off to do something fun FOR ME, i would lose my mind. i just can’t understand where people get off judging anyone for that! i might not be volunteering for any “causes” but i’m not out pulling whiskers off puppies! i’m furniture shopping and i’ve been looking forward to it for a long-a* time.

if you can’t get the fact that different people have different ideas of what is fun, then YOU have the issues, not me.

By Jennifer

July 1, 2005 09:44 AM | Link to this

I haven’t been yet; mostly to avoid the craziness of the ‘opening day crowds’ but I plan on going within the next month or so.

I read where a woman from Stone Mountain was complaining that the do-it-yourself way of IKEA was just too much for her. Then, she complained about how bad the crowd was and mentioned she would never come back. She showed up at 9:00am on opening day! I’m glad she won’t come back! But, referring to a store as ‘overly crowded’ while living and driving in Stone Mountain is (to me) comical.

By Jennifer

July 1, 2005 09:46 AM | Link to this

Don’t let their website influence your visit to the store. The site stinks.

By Christine

July 1, 2005 03:28 PM | Link to this

For those of you watching at home: My husband has tried desperately in the last few weeks to “GET A JOB” He made $4,600 total in the last week. No one called back about any of the 42 resumes he has submitted so he did just as well to wait in front of IKEA. We are newlyweds and I work for DFCS. I have a bachelor’s degree and will make less this year than a quick stop assistant manager with only a high school diploma. IKEA offers furniture and we have only a folding chair, lopsided bed and a dresser with drawers that don’t pull out. I’d say it was worth our time. Besides, if the news cared enough to wake us up for interviews at 1:10AM then someone must think the story is relevant. I admit, camping out just for the spot in line would be silly, but having home furnishings is a little more worth it.

By Amanda

July 1, 2005 10:20 PM | Link to this

IKEA was great! I wish I could say the same for the Atlanta Police Department. They blocked off all entrances to the parking areas and were rerouting people continuously around the building. We even asked an officer where we could park and were greeted with rolling eyes. Thanks APD for your usual service! IKEA, find another law enforcement agency for directing traffic.

By Jen

July 3, 2005 05:58 PM | Link to this

For 6 months, I have been trying to find a sofa that will fit in my small living room in my apartment. I tried Haverty’s, Rooms to Go, just about every furniture store and outlet in the Atlanta area. I figured I would give IKEA a shot. What did I have to lose? I was able to find a sofa that fits, fashionable, and at an affordable price. I will go back to IKEA as one of my favorite stores for other home furnishing needs.

By Josh

July 4, 2005 08:13 AM | Link to this

About the store: IKEA is wonderful! It will definitely be a more pleasant shopping experience once all the initial hype dies down, but they truly have a wide variety of items for a wide variety of styles and levels of quality. If it’s not for you, don’t shop there, but don’t discount it until you see for yourself what they have to offer.

About getting to the store: Who in god’s name invited APD to come direct traffic?! That is the worst “traffic management” I have ever seen. They have like five cops at each intersection who don’t know what each of the others is doing. On top of that, all the signage IKEA has put out directing people to the store and parking leads you to nowhere because the cops won’t let you follow the signs to the parking decks. At the very least they could let you drive by the store and see a sign that indicates the parking garage is full (if it’s truly full) and go on to the remote parking or park on the street. If they’re going to stick people out there to direct traffic, at least teach the idiots something about traffic flow and get rid of the signs that contradict their instructions.

By James

July 5, 2005 10:17 AM | Link to this

We drove down from Chattanooga and visited the store on this past Sunday. We toured the store, ate in the Cafe’, and bought a few items. The prices are great!!!

By bill

July 5, 2005 01:08 PM | Link to this

I took my wife twice and she was very nice to me the rest of the long weekend.

By crispo

July 5, 2005 01:27 PM | Link to this

Wow! A multi-million dollar FOREIGN company with most of it’s products made in China, gets nothing but FREE PRESS in all of the Atlanta media outlets. There are many local GEORGIA businesses that offer modern, reasonably priced furniture. It might not be as low as ikea, but maybe it will last if you ever have to move it. SUPPORT THE LOCAL ECONOMY!