IKEA may be coming to Merriam Village

awynhaus · Post by **awynhaus** » Mon Aug 18, 2014 8:07 pm

Apparently Hobby Lobby will be as well. Joy. And I guess they will have shuttles from the old KMart to the IKEA.

grovester · Post by **grovester** » Mon Aug 18, 2014 8:24 pm

The four horsemen of the apocalypse: Hobby Lobby, McDonalds, Taco Bell and Jack in the Box.

mgsports · Post by **mgsports** » Mon Aug 18, 2014 9:05 pm

Another Restaurant Pad Site on site available. Burgerfi going some where

Post by **KCMax** » Mon Sep 08, 2014 9:47 am

Line is already forming 48 hours in advance.

kcjak · Post by **kcjak** » Mon Sep 08, 2014 10:09 am

I went to the Friends & Family event on Saturday and had the best IKEA experience of my life - no crowds and not even one person in front of me at the checkout...don't think I'll ever see that again ever. The store was great, but the parking was surprisingly convenient with two parking garages that made you feel close to the store no matter where you park. Unfortunately, exiting onto IKEA Way from the store was terrible on a day with little traffic - it's going to be a nightmare without streetlights on a normal day, let alone on the weekends.

flyingember · Post by **flyingember** » Mon Sep 08, 2014 10:15 am

kcjak wrote:I went to the Friends & Family event on Saturday and had the best IKEA experience of my life - no crowds and not even one person in front of me at the checkout...don't think I'll ever see that again ever.

You just have to time your visit. Went to the Houston store about a year ago right at the beginning of rush hour (bumper to bumper on the freeway to get there), the lot was maybe 1/3 full.

For anyone wondering why people are lining up, this is the opening deal

First 40 people in line receive an EKTORP sofa with a white BLEKINGE cover, valued at $399

Next 100 people in linereceive a POÄNG armchair, birch frame with Alme Natural cushion, valued at $69

That's not a bad deal.

Highlander · Post by **Highlander** » Mon Sep 08, 2014 10:52 am

flyingember wrote: You just have to time your visit. Went to the Houston store about a year ago right at the beginning of rush hour (bumper to bumper on the freeway to get there), the lot was maybe 1/3 full.

That's unusual for Houston's store - I've been numerous times and it's been very packed and unpleasant every time. But rush hour may be the one time people aren't there in droves. I've even seen a fist fight between people in the parking lot over the offloading spaces. When we first moved back to the US, we needed to outfit both of our kids rooms and found IKEA pretty good for that kind of thing - now that I no longer need it, I avoid it like the plague.

flyingember · Post by **flyingember** » Mon Sep 08, 2014 11:03 am

Highlander wrote:I avoid it like the plague.

NFM can be just as bad. Just have to be smart about visits there too.

My wife wants to go within a couple weeks, I'm thinking we'll eat there and then shop after work one day.

WinchesterMysteryHouse · Mon Sep 08, 2014 1:50 pm

Also, I'd bet those are job applications in their hands.

kcjak · Post by **kcjak** » Mon Sep 08, 2014 1:53 pm

WinchesterMysteryHouse wrote:Also, I'd bet those are job applications in their hands.

Starting minimum wage of $10.76/hr and a store discount - could do a lot worse!

WinchesterMysteryHouse · Mon Sep 08, 2014 2:20 pm

Having worked retail and cafes, most times folks enter the store with a sheet of paper in their hand, its an app or resumè.
10.76/hr likely puts them in the top tier of local employers. Wages are low here.

jbean3535 · Post by **jbean3535** » Tue Sep 09, 2014 9:51 am

kcjak wrote:I went to the Friends & Family event on Saturday and had the best IKEA experience of my life - no crowds and not even one person in front of me at the checkout...don't think I'll ever see that again ever. The store was great, but the parking was surprisingly convenient with two parking garages that made you feel close to the store no matter where you park. Unfortunately, exiting onto IKEA Way from the store was terrible on a day with little traffic - it's going to be a nightmare without streetlights on a normal day, let alone on the weekends.

I went on Saturday as well and agree with you on all counts. I was in there for 4 hours or so knowing that it would never, ever be that empty again and it was great to be able to look around without people and kids running everywhere. Parking under the building was surprisingly bright and it didn't feel like you were under in a garage at all. Traffic will be a total pain and they'll have to do something about traffic on IKEA Way. There's not much they can do in its current state. At least some dedicated turn lanes would be nice.

loftguy · Post by **loftguy** » Tue Sep 09, 2014 10:14 am

jbean3535 wrote:
kcjak wrote:I went to the Friends & Family event on Saturday and had the best IKEA experience of my life - no crowds and not even one person in front of me at the checkout...don't think I'll ever see that again ever. The store was great, but the parking was surprisingly convenient with two parking garages that made you feel close to the store no matter where you park. Unfortunately, exiting onto IKEA Way from the store was terrible on a day with little traffic - it's going to be a nightmare without streetlights on a normal day, let alone on the weekends.
I went on Saturday as well and agree with you on all counts. I was in there for 4 hours or so knowing that it would never, ever be that empty again and it was great to be able to look around without people and kids running everywhere. Parking under the building was surprisingly bright and it didn't feel like you were under in a garage at all. Traffic will be a total pain and they'll have to do something about traffic on IKEA Way. There's not much they can do in its current state. At least some dedicated turn lanes would be nice.

Did the twenty-five screaming and cheering associates at the entry make you feel welcomed and special?

It made me as uncomfortable as hell. As inviting as having someone blast an airhorn in my face.

flyingember · Post by **flyingember** » Tue Sep 09, 2014 10:15 am

jbean3535 wrote:Traffic will be a total pain and they'll have to do something about traffic on IKEA Way. There's not much they can do in its current state. At least some dedicated turn lanes would be nice.

Ikea Way isn't going to be the hold up, it's going to be the Interstate ramps.

kcjak · Post by **kcjak** » Tue Sep 09, 2014 10:19 am

I'll NEVER exit onto Johnson Drive/IKEA Way directly from I-35 because I detest that exit, especially when trains are present. And I didn't get to experience any screaming/cheering associates - only two employees taking my invitation by the time we arrived at 12:30. Best IKEA shopping experience ever...and I know will never, ever happen again.

awynhaus · Post by **awynhaus** » Wed Sep 10, 2014 2:40 pm

And....it's open. http://www.kansascity.com/news/business ... 49323.html

Apparently it hasn't been as bad as predicted. I had to go to the library which is a block or two over from IKEA this morning to drop off some books and took Antioch. I-35 was packed but there wasn't anyone on the Antioch exit off I-35 South - maybe if we can keep that a secret that can be the escape route.

I'm still not going.

okaybye.

flyingember · Post by **flyingember** » Wed Sep 10, 2014 2:57 pm

awynhaus wrote: Apparently it hasn't been as bad as predicted

it's a workday. wait until Saturday and determine then

awynhaus · Post by **awynhaus** » Thu Sep 11, 2014 12:33 pm

flyingember wrote:
awynhaus wrote: Apparently it hasn't been as bad as predicted
it's a workday. wait until Saturday and determine then

Truth.

flyingember · Post by **flyingember** » Thu Sep 18, 2014 10:09 am

went yesterday. ftoo bad this store wasn't built downtown. they built an urban store in Merriam, KS

but not all is lost. now there's thousands of KS residents that understand how to do retail well without needing a huge parking lot out front or a huge single story big box

winB · Post by **winB** » Thu Sep 18, 2014 5:57 pm

flyingember wrote:went yesterday. ftoo bad this store wasn't built downtown. they built an urban store in Merriam, KS

but not all is lost. now there's thousands of KS residents that understand how to do retail well without needing a huge parking lot out front or a huge single story big box

You'll be hard pressed to find an IKEA closer to downtown than Merriam. It's just not part of their philosophy.

http://info.ikea-usa.com/StoreLocator/StoreLocator.aspx

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