The proper (as in... back in the homeland) pronunciation is "ick-ee-ah", but I suppose the marketing department nixed the idea of a store with "ick" in its name.

Its like "Dawn of the Dead" - just remeber if one attacks you - go for the head with the Billy shelves.

We shop at the Ikea near Liege (Belgium) and even on week-ends, it's pretty calm and civilized. We usually relax over coffee and their great breakfast special, then hit the aisles. Lines aren't that long, parking is plentiful, service is decent.

I worked in the PM mall part time (Ray Panella's) when Ikea came to town and yes, it was a madhouse. Esp. that first Christmas when you had the usual Christmas shoppers and the Ikea mobs fighting for parking spaces (esp. the "good" spaces between Ikea and Strawbridge's).

There are two ways to pronounce it.

Eye key uh is the North American way.

EE kay uh is the European way.

I wonder how the Chinese pronounce it, IKEA is there now as well.

BTilke, we probably saw each other in the parking lot! Those first christmases we used to do Christmas Tree Rentals. You could rent a tree for 20 bucks, bring it back, get a 20 dollar gift certificate and your tree mulched. It was insane. We used to go through truckloads of trees.

AFter many years of forgetting about IKEA I went to the one in Carson, Ca the other night. It is gigantic! I did pass the same people over and over as we traisped around with our order sheets and pencils. Someone stepped on my paper yard stick and tore half of it off. It was so upsetting I had to retreat to the cafe for nourishment then I went back into the frey. I loved it. I got the best magnetic knife holder, it looks so medieval now with my knives on it.

Even the Dallas-area has one!

Don't make fun of my Billy shelves, lawchick! lol. They wouldn't deliver the height extensions so we had to drive four hours (one way) to pick some up.

I can see the logic in not using "ick" in the name... kind of like trying to sell a car named "no-va" in France.

Oh how I loathe IKEA.

I envision a bus filled with lambs heading to the slaughter, lol. ;)

Sorry, I just cannot stand the place. :D

I go to the IKEA in New Haven, CT. Best time to go - Sunday morning before the store opens for the 99 cent breakfast with coffee and by the time we shop through the store and check out it's starting to fill up.

I have a love/hate relationship with Ikea. My ex and I were certified addicts while we were renovating. We'd drive up almost every weekend.

Now, as a subway-riding single, I've made the trek once or twice with a girlfriend, taking the legendary Ikea bus. In my neck of the woods, you take the subway north to what feel like the middle of nowhere, then the Ikea bus picks you up at the subway station and basically drives you across the street.

Although it is a humble looking white van from the outside, inside it's a cross between one of those decorated minibuses in Pakistan and a party vehicle (ie "if this van's a rockin' don't come a knockin'")

Black shag everywhere, including the walls, converted hayride-style wooden benches, low ceiling, Indo-pak techno music playing on the radio. Beads and other decorations resembling an alter on the dashboard; there may even have been incense burning.

If you don't hang on to something, you will go flying as the driver peels out and negotiates turns at breakneck speed. For good measure, as we pulled up to the Ikea, he nearly ran down a few pedestrians as they exited the store. The experienced shoppers knew to flee the area immediately.

I couldn't remember the last time I had that much fun for free. Good times, the Ikea mini-bus.

Love Ikea! There's a fairly new one just up the road in East Palo Alto. Soon-to-visit sister, who is Ikea-less (poor thing) in Nashville will alight from the plane and be toted to Ikea for lunch and an afternoon of retail therapy.

when the first ikea opened near boston last year, a major north south highway was so jammed with traffic that it had to be diverted....amazing....

I don't know which is more like purgatory: IKEA or Disneyland.
B-)

When i visit Ikea my stress levels definitely go through the roof! The riots in London were intense, I even thought about going there for the grand opening, im very glad that i didn't now!

They have this new campaign, BE BRAVE, NOT BEIGE. looks good. here's the site www.bebravenotbeige.co.uk (for my fellow brits here ;) )

their new textiles look great. im just trying to work out whether im persuaded to make the adventure onto the local IKEA bus and into the stores this weekend or leave it for a little while!

i still have nightmares about the arguments with my partner on our last shopping trip! ; )

If IKEA are running buses, I assume there's no such thing as a request stop? Presumably, you're stuck there till they decide to let you go....