So after a long wait, Ikea’s 290,000-square-foot Jacksonville Store finally opened its doors on November 8. I was one of the many Jax residents who wanted to visit the new store to buy some fancy-looking décor and furniture for my house, my priority being a shoe shelf.
For months earlier, there were rumors and then news about the new Ikea store being built at St. John’s Town Centre, a large shopping area in Jacksonville’s Southside.
Interestingly, the open date was announced with another important date – the date when people could start queuing up for the opening. So two days before the store opening, Ikea enthusiasts lined up – some equipped with tents, chairs, mattresses and food supply -outside the store. Why the frenzy, I wondered only to learn that the first few entrants were going to be welcomed with great fanfare and also receive a freebie.
On its website, IKEA made the announcement – the first 46 visitors would get an EKTORP sofa in celebration of the 46th US store opening while the next 100 visitors would receive a free POANG armchair.
I decided to avoid the crowds and go on a later date. Unbelievably, when I visited the store on November 11, the parking lots were full. I actually drove a mile away to a Parking Lot and took a shuttle to the store. Here are pictures of the massive number of visitors’ cars and some photos from first visit to the store.
I did not quite understand why there were stuffed rats and mice. And so many on display. When I googled them, I found their product pages on the website. One says Gosig Mus and the other says Gosig Ratta. Gosig means cuddly or huggable. I also found a very funny and relatable post by a ‘husband’ who visited IKEA with his wife. He too was wondering about the abundance of stuffed toy rats at Ikea. You totally must read the post titled My Wife and I visit IKEA again and I try to figure out why.
My purchases from my first Ikea visit were minimal cause I plan to go again when it is less crowded. I want to visit the famed restaurant inside and try the yogurt too.
Here’s what I bought:
1. White microwaveable plates and bowls
2. A countertop utensil holder for my spoons called ORDNING
3. A glass bottle with a cork called Korken.
4. Dark chocolate called Talanda – my best purchase!
Side observation: It’s really interesting how the Scandinavian product names are connected to English. For example, Korken – a bottle with a cork.
Here’s some more:
- Mus – Mouse
- Hanga – coat hanger
- Frostig – refrigerator
Found this Ikea dictionary. It’s a fascinating list of IKEA product names and their meanings. The website makes for a fun read.
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Filed under: jacksonville Tagged: furnishings, furniture, home decor, ikea, jacksonville, Jax, shopping, store, USA
