IKEA may be coming to Merriam Village

[grovester]

Not liking that location.

Why not? Just curious.

[pharmd]

Wonder how IKEA would impact NFM?

Probably not as much as you would think. NFM offers a somewhat higher quality in more traditional styling with financing. IKEA does neither. We had Ikea furniture in college. It was cheap. Quality ranged from poor to just OK. Our BILLY bookcases were made of cheap particle board covered in laminate. The shelves would sag in a few months due to the weight of the books placed upon them...we had to remove all books and invert the shelves, place them back on the shelves, watch them sag...repeat. The laminate would chip and peel revealing the particle board underneath. On the other hand, I had an Ikea bed frame made completely of steel that lasted me throughout both college and professional school. Very well made. However, it (just like much of Ikea's stuff) looked better in lofts and bachelor pads than in the home we now live in.

[FangKC]

Most IKEA furniture is temporary in use for people moving through early stages of life, and just needing the cheapest option.

[kboish]

I always viewed NFM as the Ikea of the suburbs (or Ikea could be the NFM for the city...i was just familiar with Ikea 1st...so when i visited NFM that was my thought). NFM's items seem generally bulkier and made to fit in 2500+ sq ft houses. While Ikea is made for people living in more restricted sqft areas.

EDIT: i'd also agree Ikea stuff seems to be a bit cheaper in quality as well

[flyingember]

An Ikea would be killer downtown.

And by downtown I mean put it on stilts like the Minneapolis store and put it next to I-35 at the Mo River.

the city's been wanting to redevelop that area.

[earthling]

STL paper talks about more rumors too. Ikea still says they have no plans to expand this year but Trader Joes consistently said something like that too until officially announcing KC.

Yet another Ikea rumor surfaces in St. Louis

For KC, the Ikea official said,

"Ikea’s Roth said “we have not committed to a time frame for the Kansas City area.”

[flyingember]

I always viewed NFM as the Ikea of the suburbs (or Ikea could be the NFM for the city...i was just familiar with Ikea 1st...so when i visited NFM that was my thought). NFM's items seem generally bulkier and made to fit in 2500+ sq ft houses. While Ikea is made for people living in more restricted sqft areas.

EDIT: i'd also agree Ikea stuff seems to be a bit cheaper in quality as well

depends on the stuff. we bought from the Minneapolis Ikea back in May and they have some decent stuff no one else does

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categ ... hen/20676/

We have a set of the Bygel basket and hooks and they're good quality.

[chaglang]

For KC, the Ikea official said,

"Ikea’s Roth said “we have not committed to a time frame for the Kansas City area.”

So you're saying there's a chance?

[earthling]

Joyce Smith at the Star checked into it and hasn't said anything yet. Probably not much substance - yet.

[kcjak]

[quote="earthling"]STL paper talks about more rumors too. Ikea still says they have no plans to expand this year but Trader Joes consistently said something like that too until officially announcing KC.

Yet another Ikea rumor surfaces in St. Louis
quote]

I hope there's more truth to the KC rumors than those about St Louis - I just can't see the company opening two new stores so close to one another.

[loftguy]

Wonder how IKEA would impact NFM?

Probably not as much as you would think. NFM offers a somewhat higher quality in more traditional styling with financing. IKEA does neither. We had Ikea furniture in college. It was cheap. Quality ranged from poor to just OK. Our BILLY bookcases were made of cheap particle board covered in laminate. The shelves would sag in a few months due to the weight of the books placed upon them...we had to remove all books and invert the shelves, place them back on the shelves, watch them sag...repeat. The laminate would chip and peel revealing the particle board underneath. On the other hand, I had an Ikea bed frame made completely of steel that lasted me throughout both college and professional school. Very well made. However, it (just like much of Ikea's stuff) looked better in lofts and bachelor pads than in the home we now live in.

Oversimplification, pharmd.

I have a NFM bed. It came apart and collapsed within 90 days. Yeah, I'm a stud and all, but it was cheap crap, badly designed/engineered.

I have an elaborate IKEA kitchen. It looks as good as the day it was finished and it gets heavy, heavy use.

In both cases, the outcome was the result of my participation as an informed consumer, or the case of the NFM bed, not.

[KCPowercat]

My condo is full of Ikea stuff....its held up a long time. It fits my style much better than anything I've ever seen at NFM.

Why don't I like that location? Not sure really...I think the traffic Ikea produces will suck in that area....does Ikea serve package beer? That would be another downside of a KS location.

[flyingember]

I hope there's more truth to the KC rumors than those about St Louis - I just can't see the company opening two new stores so close to one another.

I don't see that as a big deal. There a lot of people who won't drive hours for furniture.

[supastudio]

Why don't I like that location? Not sure really...I think the traffic Ikea produces will suck in that area....does Ikea serve package beer? That would be another downside of a KS location.

I'm going be honest. I don't like the location because it's in Kansas I don't remember seeing alcohol at the IKEA's I've been to, Portland, OR and Covina, CA. But if they did sell alcohol, Kansas is so puritanical when it comes to alcohol it's embarrassing. Didn't they just lift a "Happy Hour" ban? They outlawed Happy Hour!!!

Anyways, back to IKEA. A location in the Northland would be ideal IMHO. The IKEA in Portland is right next to their airport, the Denver IKEA is also near an Airport, Minneapolis IKEA is close to the airport. Elizabeth, NJ IKEA is next to the airport. Isn't our major airport in the Northland???

And I hate to bring it up, but IKEA is big box retail. I don't see it going DT, the Crossroads or the Urban Core really due to the negative connotation the words "Big Box" brings. Northlanders are not as snobbish and welcome every Big Box retail they can get Where I really see the IKEA going is OMAHA... next to their airport

[loftguy]

Why don't I like that location? Not sure really...I think the traffic Ikea produces will suck in that area....does Ikea serve package beer? That would be another downside of a KS location.

They outlawed Happy Hour!!!

Supastudio, I think they are determined to outlaw happy.

[WSPanic]

Why don't I like that location? Not sure really...I think the traffic Ikea produces will suck in that area....does Ikea serve package beer? That would be another downside of a KS location.

I'm going be honest. I don't like the location because it's in Kansas I don't remember seeing alcohol at the IKEA's I've been to, Portland, OR and Covina, CA. But if they did sell alcohol, Kansas is so puritanical when it comes to alcohol it's embarrassing. Didn't they just lift a "Happy Hour" ban? They outlawed Happy Hour!!!

Anyways, back to IKEA. A location in the Northland would be ideal IMHO. The IKEA in Portland is right next to their airport, the Denver IKEA is also near an Airport, Minneapolis IKEA is close to the airport. Elizabeth, NJ IKEA is next to the airport. Isn't our major airport in the Northland???

And I hate to bring it up, but IKEA is big box retail. I don't see it going DT, the Crossroads or the Urban Core really due to the negative connotation the words "Big Box" brings. Northlanders are not as snobbish and welcome every Big Box retail they can get Where I really see the IKEA going is OMAHA... next to their airport

I don't really care if they decide to go North, but I don't understand how that can be considered an ideal location. Are people really flying into Ikea-KC?

Also - no suburb is going to turn its nose up at Ikea.

As an aside about the "snob" factor - I would say that most Northlanders are about as snobby as JoCo folks. Maybe just not as self aware about it. Most Northlanders don't even acknowledge the existance of KCK, South KC or East KC suburbs. It's always JoCo vs Northland.

[mgsports]

It's really in Northwest area of Metro the Airport.

[KCPowercat]

I think the best location is by the TSC honestly.... Or Bannister would be great shot in the arm as well.

That said.... This location would be fine I think

[supastudio]

I don't really care if they decide to go North, but I don't understand how that can be considered an ideal location. Are people really flying into Ikea-KC?

Ideal as in IKEA's tend to gravitate close to airports. I don't think actual airport traffic has to do with it. The Denver IKEA is not near the new Airport but near the old airport it replaced. Maybe it's due to close accessibility to transportation and space availability. I'm just seeing a pattern with IKEA's and Airports, that's all.

As an aside about the "snob" factor - I would say that most Northlanders are about as snobby as JoCo folks. Maybe just not as self aware about it. Most Northlanders don't even acknowledge the existance of KCK, South KC or East KC suburbs. It's always JoCo vs Northland.

I meant "snobby" as in Urban Core residence despise big box retail and think they are better than big boxes:) But being a Northlander for more than 25 years, I've had to endure the "you live up north, there's nothing up there" for the longest time. When I was younger I always had to go south of the river or JoCo for entertainment, shopping,etc. Well not anymore

**Edit**
If traffic congestion is another factor for location for IKEA's, the Northland probably has the best traffic in the Metro, best as in hardly any congestion. Compared to I-35 and south loop of I-435 in JoCo and I-70 and I-470 in Eastern KC, Northland traffic is a breeze. Since IKEA will draw crowds, regardless of the location in the Metro area, wouldn't it be best (trafficwise) to be located up north? There's hardly any traffic on the north loop of I-435.

[flyingember]

If traffic congestion is another factor for location for IKEA's, the Northland probably has the best traffic in the Metro, best as in hardly any congestion. Compared to I-35 and south loop of I-435 in JoCo and I-70 and I-470 in Eastern KC, Northland traffic is a breeze. Since IKEA will draw crowds, regardless of the location in the Metro area, wouldn't it be best (trafficwise) to be located up north? There's hardly any traffic on the north loop of I-435.

Metro North redevelopment option. No new parking space needed, it's off a highway and it's easy to get to from across the city, 169 intersects downtown.

and it would be THE draw for the area which would make it be the headline act.