Proof the world has gone mad

IKEA, John Lewis, Harrods.
It's still shopping, still stuff.

mall = small

I’ll be first in the queue once the Charity Shops open ?

We really don’t need more stuff.

Me too.
I'm hoping they'll have sales to get rid of their old stock.

I have one of the IKEA magnetic blinds, if anyone wants it.
Still done up in its packaging.

I'll bet they were queueing for the meatballs

Oh, they give me hearburn!
They're lovely while I'm eating them, but I'm still eating them ten hours later!

Tummy rumbles from the meatballs perhaps I don't understand it either, boredom maybe...

Didn’t MFI introduce the first flat packs in the U.K.?

I first came across Ikea in the 80s when my Norwegian friend ordered an entire kitchen from Sweden. At the time she told me that they could only charge 10% more than the item cost to produce so the prices were a real bargain even with shipping cost.

My other Norwegian friend would have nothing to do with Ikea and couldn’t understand the interest, as it was considered to be like Woolworths. She came with us just for the outing after she was diagnosed with a terminal cancer. After that would persuade people to take her there as often as she could because she could no longer drive.

I enjoy wandering through and buy towels and tea towels when needed as the quality is good. Our bathroom fitter was impressed with the design of the magnetic toilet roll holder and their toilet brush and holder is very neat.

Best of all are the Christmas biscuits that now seem to be available all year round.

OH can’t stand the place so wants to buy whatever we are after then escape as quickly as possible - spoilsport!

I really couldnt believe the photos of people queueing for hours to get into Ikea. What with shopping and the cost of driving to the beach people are either doing very well from being furloughed or there is going to be a rise in credit card debt. As for miles of queues for Macdonalds and coffee people must have really lost their minds.

But then from this Monday shopping malls in Portugal were allowed to open with the usual restrictions of numbers and must wear masks. In the Algarve the big shopping mall at Loulé opened and to quote one lady there it was rammed. There was an hours queue to get into Primark. ???
We live in central Portugal where there are far less foreigners and my DH went to our nearest shopping mall (for the supermarket) and it wasnt busy at all. Admittedly there isnt a Primark there. So maybe shopping is a British thing hence the queues in the Algarve.

I love the Swedish food at Ikea, the mazarin rolls and marzipan cakes.

Used to love IKEA in a cold, wet winters day when looking after the grandchildren. We’d play ‘follow the arrows’ and then investigate all those funny little self-contained flatlets they set up and finally explore the children’s department.

Loads of educational opportunities and once we even bought something.

That said my friend and I used to enjoy a trip to Ikea. Our nearest Ikea is nearly 100 miles away near Lisbon but straight down the (toll) motorway so only an hour and a quarter drive. We would have a coffee and pastel de nata when we arrived then wander round the upper floor. Then it was time for lunch but never the meat balls. After that it was time to go downstairs and pick up bits and pieces plus anything larger from the flat pack area. After we had paid it was time for another coffee and buy any food from the shop we wanted. Then the drive home. Havent been able to do that since my cancer and we do miss it.
Because the virus is still spreading in the Lisbon metropolitan area the Prime minister has reimposed sanctions there so large stores are not allowed to reopen so Ikea hasnt reopened in Lisbon.

Yes, yes GeorgyGirl the marzipan cakes !

I've never been to IKEA.

Just never fancied it

However, this has changed my mind

I love the Swedish food at Ikea, the mazarin rolls and marzipan cakes.

Marzipan cakes?

Heavenly

There is NO chance of me going to Ikea at present.....the restaurant isn't open yet!!!

I guess different things are important to different people.
If no extra risk to others or themselves was apparent and careful monitoring of infection control in IKEA, then what's the harm?

I have never been to Ikea. Sounds like I might be missing something.

It's an experience, not just a shopping trip.
Bad/good is up to the individual's perception, I suppose.

Absolutely sadly bonkers!!!

Same when our local tip opened. They were queuing outside at 6 am for it opening at 9 am

People are strange..

Nothing surprises me anymore!

I read that there were 500 people in the queue, so if they let in about eight at a time, they had a browse, checked out....possibly having taken twenty minutes in all , and if the store was open for ten hours, (unlikely) the ones at the end of the queue might have got in after a two day wait. Extremely worthwhile, and I do need a packet of tealights. I'll drive to the nearest IKEA right now.