Charlotte Gets Ikea; Raleigh Jealous

Ikea, the International Mecca for college students, twenty-somethings, and even well-off families looking to be bedazzled by rich colors, streamlined designs, and nefariously low prices, can already be seen from I-85 N. approaching Charlotte, and will officially open its doors there February 18th. This location, according to Triangle Business Journal, is one of the chain’s largest at 365,000 square feet.

If you’ve never been to Ikea, it’s an experience. Wear comfortable shoes; bring water and food supplies; and don’t travel with anyone who easily irritates you. Ikea furniture costs next to nothing for a reason: Their enormous warehouses hold hardly any salespeople; the buildings are designed to shuttle customers through like so many parts on a conveyer belt; and the furniture itself can be easily disposed of when it goes out of style and falls apart in six months.

Come February 18th, get ready for wonderment and feast your eyes on “three model homes and 49 room vignettes” full of postmodern commercialism at its finest.

Bring on the efficiency!

Update: Raleigh’s Becky Shankle at eco-modernism designs kitchens with Ikea components to allow for incorporation of greener finish materials and appliances. As noted below she will also provide a runner service between Charlotte’s Ikea and the Triangle.

15001/15 01:47 PM

Acree is right. Ikea is fantastic for furnishing an apartment out of college. I hit Ikea up for it, and was thankful for it. However, it’s also true that it’s of pretty low quality.
Whether Raleigh should be jealous about this….I’m expecting some interesting opinions on this one.

Micah01/15 02:41 PM

While I agree that some of Ikea’s furnishings are made of lower quality materials, the use of those materials is precisely what makes Ikea products so affordable. Over the past decade Ikea has expanded their offerings to include higher quality merchandise. I was at Ikea in Woodbridge last week. There is quite a bit of higher quality furnishings available now, at a much higher price point. You get what you pay for. I think a lot of people associate Ikea with the college or twenty-something apartment. These groups tend to buy the cheap and brightly colored furniture offered there. When you walk into their apartments you can instantly tell it is Ikea furnished. If you wish to have a different look, Ikea can make this happen.

go go girl01/15 03:02 PM

If charlotte - or DC - is too far to drive there is always this runer service,

http://www.eco-modernism.com/?page_id=273

becky01/15 03:04 PM

IKEA has faults like anything else. My sister swears all Hondas are lemons because her first (& only) one was a mechanical nightmare. I’ve had 4 of them, nary a problem with any.

I’m not sure what people mean when they say low quality: does it wear out quickly? does it break? warp? scratch? fade? What doesn’t?

The biggest complaint I hear is that they use particle board in their cabinet and furniture box construction. Particle board, despite all it’s poo-pooing, is actually green. It’s made of wood waste. And if it’s put together with low VOC adhesives, then greener.

It has its limitations. Should you buy anything wider than about 18” made of particle board? Not unless it’s well supported. Otherwise, it will be a warpapalooza of the highest order. It also doesn’t get along with moisture. So seal it (we do, in all our kitchen projects) with a zero VOC sealer on all exposed edges.

IKEA sure beats the pricetag of custom kitchen cabinets, hands down. They use the same hardware - Blum soft closure and full extension drawer slides. I find it hilarious that most of the critics of IKEA (especially cabinets) are generally those who’ve never owned it.

But that’s ok. Leaves more for folks who love it.

IKEA Fans01/15 03:14 PM

I second the recommendation for <a >eco-modernism</a>. They know their stuff and make regular runs for a very reasonable rate. They also will design, assemble and install.

Also totally agreed that IKEA has a bad rep when it comes to quality, particularly their kitchen cabinets, which are of the highest order. And affordable!

Sue01/15 03:18 PM

Perhaps Ikea does carry some stuff that can be considered “disposable” and “trendy,” but I’m still rocking wooden shelves I bought there some 20 years ago, and I recently bought an all-wood (not laminate) clothing armoire there that I love and don’t anticipate throwing away ever.

Is the snarky comment about “efficiency” supposed to be a rap on the company’s environmental impact? If so, you might be interested to know about Ikea’s considerable efforts to be environmentally friendly, such as eliminating the use of polyvinyl chloride in its shower curtains, lampshades, furniture and packaging; minimizing the use of formaldehyde in its products; phasing out acid-curing lacquers; reducing chromium in metal treatments and limiting the use of other toxics including cadmium, lead and AZO pigments; monitoring the management of forests where it gets its wood from to ensure they’re replanted and maintain biological diversity; and using only recyclable materials in packaging.

I try to get most of my furniture via trash-picking, yard sales, flea markets and Craigslist. But for those occasions when you opt to go the retail route, you could do worse than Ikea from a green perspective.

Micah01/15 05:46 PM

Ikea cabinets rock! Their economy cabinets are, well, economy…But they are still pretty good quality. Their mid and high range cabinets are of great construction and quality. The hardware is also top-notch. I have outfitted one couples kitchen with some Ikea cabinets, and another guys with all Ikea everything (including appliances). The price for the second kitchn was between 1/3 and 1/2 of what the two custom cabinet manufacturers quoted for similar cabinets, and the kitchen looks amazing! All of the cabinets are solid wood. I didn’t mention it in my earlier post, but they have lots of solid wood items. They cost more than particle board and pressboard, but you pay more for higher quality goods.

Magnus01/15 05:55 PM

I don’t know why people say their furniture is cheap. I’ve got three small children that use my Ikea furniture like a playground and none of it has broken yet. The Ikea dining room table is the center of our family activities and all the kids sit up on top of it, paint on it, play on it, the works. I used to live close to their King Of Prussia, PA store and do wish they had one closer to Raleigh. Closer than Charlotte!

Joshua01/15 06:48 PM

I love IKEA. its a unique experience (both good and bad). as i grow up a bit, i move away from their couches and chairs. but still love it for the kitchen, office, some of the textiles, and rugs. i’d love them to drop an IKEA in the triangle. three major universities, lots of smaller universities, tons of just out of college kids. they would do very well. but then again i bet most IKEAs do well?!

Deb01/15 08:11 PM

Yep, I’m jealous. I have a “cheap” sofa I bought from IKEA in my early twenties five years ago. It cost $200, has a solid wood frame and cushions with wonderful slipcovers that have survived drunken parties, red wine spills and countless friends crashing on for the night. The cushions have not deteriorated into flat, uncomfortable blobs. I worked for a mid-range, large regional furniture store in college, and can say that the stuff they sold for much higher prices was not of a much higher quality than equivalent IKEA pieces.
And if IKEA really is only for college students and twenty-somethings, why would they NOT choose to locate a store in the vicinity of three major universities + many smaller colleges and universities? The Triangle area seems to be the perfect market!

lucy01/15 10:58 PM

We like Ikea - and we like that Eco-Modernism will go pick up and deliver. Let Charlotte have the warehouse space.

singlespeed01/16 07:41 AM

I have installed six of their kitchens in different cities across the country, long story short I love them. I have seen them in rental units after three years and they are still doing fine. Compared to what you will get at HD or Lowes these things have a lot of style and great features for the price.

One of the most amusing things to do when you are there is to watch in the kitchen area and you will see middle aged guys buying one or two of everything because they are single again and don’t have anything left. They have a look of bewilderment on their face at all the little things they need! (I know I was one of those guys at one point)

They do have some good solid wood stuff also. It’s not all particle board, they have some nicer bedroom furniture. But if you also want some disposable stuff, you won’t feel bad when it wears out in a year it’s the perfect place!

I know I will be visiting there in the future.

Adrian Hands01/25 01:45 PM

I appreciate IKEA’s transit-friendly angle—most of their furniture is designed to be sold disassembled and compactly packaged for easy transport home on the bus or train. Maybe Charlotte’s stronger public transit was a factor in the decision to locate there?

Raleighites traveling to Charlotte should remember the Amtrak service to/from Charlotte—twice daily, plus noon service beginning this summer, and the morning & noon trains include bicycle racks on board.

And eco-modernism rocks—they’re creative and talented Raleigh people with a good history in community involvement.

Micah01/25 05:34 PM

I think that Ikea products are “flat packed” more from a space/cost saving effort on their side and not to be “transit friendly” for us. It keeps the prices low by requiring less space when shipping around the world and storing in their warehouses. I certainly don’t think that any large piece of furniture, in its Ikea flat package, is very “transit friendly” in a public transport kind of way. They are super easy to move with a truck, but I wouldn’t even consider lugging a 100+ lb oddly shaped box containing a bookcase or dresser on any type of public transport.

Adrian Hands01/25 06:11 PM

keeping their shipping costs low may be a primary factor, but i don’t think you see this (below) with many retailers:

http://www.google.com/search?q=ikea+(“public+transit”+or+“public+transport”)

Betsy01/25 10:30 PM

Ha ha ha! Funny you should mention that, Adrian. I remember hauling home half a roomful of furnishings to my Brooklyn apartment from the IKEA store in Elizabeth, New Jersey. I can’t remember if I used the PATH train or the bus or both, but once I was in Manhattan I transferred myself and my furniture into the subway and on to Bklyn. It was a hell of a journey! Clumsy, especially the transfers, but doable with the transit-friendly, Euro-neat-and-tidy packing boxes. Ah, to be 23 again.

Rick02/12 07:49 PM

I bought furniture fro0m Ikea about four years ago, everything still in perfect condition. Oh, did I forget to mention that the furniture was for my daughter that is in college and is kind of rough with things. Excellent stuff, I’ll recommend it top anyone. And the price was excellent.

Steve05/05 09:53 AM

Maybe IKEA chose Charlotte simply because its a hell of a lot bigger than Raleigh.

becky05/05 10:04 AM

I’ve heard all kinds of theories about why IKEA chose Charlotte over Raleigh: population, city size, colleges, etc. It’s anyone’s guess why they chose Charlotte over Raleigh (or anywhere in SC or TN, for that matter).

My own take is that they wanted to split the difference between two existing stores - Atlanta & Woodbridge outside DC. I do know that only two new stores are opening in 2009 - Charlotte & Tampa.

Given the limited expansion, it could just be that it made the most sense business-wise to go with those sites.

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Acree Thursday, January 15, 2009