An Open Letter to IKEA

Dear IKEA:

Thank you for taking time out of your undoubtedly busy day to read this.  I know that you have millions of customers to please out there, so I won't take up much of your time.  I really just wanted to thank you for not bulding a store near my home.

Before you get all huffy and offended, please know that I LOVE your stores.  I have taken many a pilgrimage to your bastians of cheap and stylish stuff.  The closest store to me is at least two and a half hours away.  Sometimes I go in the other direction, and that one takes a little over three hours to get to.  But it is sooooo worth it.  From minute I enter the store until the moment I leave, I am surrounded by unbelievable quantities of affordable STUFF. 

IKEA can meet any need.  Need new forks?  Got 'em!  Remodeling the kitchen?  Right there!   Lighting, artwork, furniture, baskets, storage, organizing...It. Is. All. There.  And, just when you think you're growing a bit weary, you arrive at the cafeteria and re-energize with some (what else) Swedish meatballs before you tackle the second floor!  Plus, you can take everything home with you TODAY.  I can remodel my entire house if I want to and wheel it all out to my semi trailer and take it home and assemble it later that same day.  I have actually seen moving trucks in the parking lot.

I know it seems odd that I would not want you to build a store closer to me considering how much I love the place, but here's the thing:  going to IKEA has become a bit of a vacation for me and one of my besties.  We both have young children and, while we get together fairly often, there are only bits of adult conversation strung between constant interruptions from our daughters.  When we go shopping at IKEA, we are forced to sit together in quiet in a car for a total of about 5 hours together.  And that's just the car part!  It's safe to count on a sore throat from talking at the end of the ride, and I never fail to be amazed at how many things we haven't told each other throughout the year.  When we were in college, we spent countless hours together, often just us two, sharing dreams and thoughts and memories and experiences.  Now, much of our communication consists of quick messages on Facebook or texts to plan get-togethers with our families.  So, on our annual vacation to IKEA, we get to digest our experiences as wives, mothers, friends and family members and share our thougths, great and small, while we drive and shop and eat and enjoy our free time.

So, again I say, thank you, IKEA.  Please don't build a store in my city.  Continue to force us to stop and take time for one another and just breathe

Well, breathe and shop.  And eat meatballs.

Comments

  1. I love IKEA too, we had the best family day out there last week, mainly playing in the kid's dept. Love the fact you can get things done and have fun. back to the flatpack assembly.
    Thanks for you comment at mine, good to meet you!

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  2. Start the car. Start the car! Have you seen that ad? It cracks me up. Every. Single. Time. Ikea is only about 45 minutes away from me but it is still a great girlfriend trip.

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  3. Ah, IKEA, how I love it and hate it so.

    The sore throat line got me...my husband and I just drove 8.5 hours each way to a family reunion and I talked so much on the way up my throat was killing me. It was good to catch up.

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