Monday, March 16, 2009
Day Trip Series: Smarty Guide to Ikea
By CharlotteSmartyPants Guest Blogger Meredith B
If you've read the paper or watched the news anytime recently, you've probably heard all of the hype about the new Ikea that opened in the University Area of Charlotte. Personally, I'd never been to an Ikea, and I was dying to see what it was all about. So the other morning, I dropped my son off at preschool and my daughter and I headed on up there. And now, I'm a convert. That place is amazing. It is basically a one-stop shop for your home, from large furniture down to picture hangers and everything in between. The prices are unbeatable, and the designs are super cute. If you're planning a trip there (and I highly recommend you do), here are a few things to know:
1. Ikea is located at Exit 43 (City Blvd) off of I-85 in Charlotte. You can't miss it - you can see it from the Interstate. Hours are 10 - 9 Monday through Saturday and 10 - 7 on Sundays. I expected a madhouse, but it was very easy to get in and out. They had a huge team of parking lot attendants (like you would find at a sporting event), but I'm guessing that is just for the opening week crowds. There is a designated parking lot close to the front door for families (more on the family friendliness later).
2. The store is huge, but it is very easy to navigate. When you walk in the front door, pick up a map and a pencil. As you walk through the store, just follow the path and you will see everything. There are posters throughout the store with "You are here" signs, but I never felt lost or overwhelmed. Items fall into two categories: (1) those that you can take with you and (2) those that you pick up in the Self Serve area. If you are interested in a larger item, such as a piece of furniture, write down the Self Serve location that appears at the bottom of the tag. On the first floor, go to the Self Serve area, grab a flatbed cart and find your item. Ikea workers can help you with heavy items, and they'll help you load your car after you pay (there are parking spaces for loading right by the front door). Home delivery service is also available for a fee.
3. Ikea is very kid-friendly. First, they have childcare! They call it Smaland, and it's free. If you have children between 37 and 54 inches tall, you can leave them with staff in Smaland, where they have a ball pit, movie area, coloring area and a rock hill. Children must be potty-trained, and you can leave them for an hour. You're given a pager so Smaland can contact you and let you know when your time is up. If you don't want to leave them in Smaland, or can't (my 2 year old is not tall enough), there are play stations throughout the store to keep your kids entertained while you shop. Even the restrooms have child-size sinks and free diaper dispensers.
4. If you're hungry, there are two places to eat: a cafeteria-style restaurant and a bistro. The prices are, of course, very reasonable. A kids meal is $2.49, including drink, and they have cute kid-sized tables and movies for the kids to watch while they eat. There is even a bottle-warming station with bibs and kid silverware. For grown-ups, they have entrees such as Swedish meatballs, sandwiches and a salad bar.
5. The furniture and decor is adorable. In fact, it was frustrating because it made me wish we had this store years ago when I was decorating my house - especially my kids' rooms. Everything from cribs and changing tables to playmats and kid-size table and chairs. I got a wooden easel for my daughter's birthday with a chalkboard on one side and dry-erase board on the other for $24.99.
6. Be prepared to do some assembly. Ikea saves money by selling everything in flat boxes. That means that you may have a lot or a little bit of assembly to do when you get home. A shoe rack I bought for my closet was a cinch - no tools required. But a toy storage unit I bought took well over an hour to assemble. For $79, I didn't mind.
I'm really excited that Charlotte is now home to the only Ikea between DC and Atlanta! In these troubling times, a practical, budget-friendly store is just what we need.
Have you been to Ikea yet? If so, share your experiences!
7 comments:
I have heard so many great things about this new Ikea! I used to shop in one up north all the time. It is a perfect day trip for the Triad area. They always have great bargains for your home.
Simply put, Ikea rocks! We were so excited when it opened! We had hoped to go without children, but we couldn't wait and took them on one of the snowdays during the week. We were there for 5 hours with an 8, 5 and 3 year old, and there was little boredom! I am admittedly not comfortable with childcare that I don't know anything about, so the kids stayed with us the whole time - but with all the different playstations, drawers, doors and buttons - they were entertained.
For a furniture store, it is the most kid friendly restaurant we've ever been to. The kids got to eat at small tables and watch a movie so we could talk and peruse the catalog.
Great prices, cool stuff, so family friendly. Ikea is awesome.
I took my infant last week and we had a great time shopping. It took me about an hour and a half from Greensboro. It was an easy day trip. I could not believe how big this place was! My husband was sad that we went without him, but we needed something to do on a rainy day. I recommend it for anyone in the Triad!
Okay my jaw hit the floor at the bottle warming station!!! Who does that? Very well thought out!
We have not been yet but can be there in less than an hr so it is on the agenda soon.
Thanks for the review!
Oooh! I am heading to Charlotte in 2 weeks and will have some "Mommy time" to shop by myself and I will definitely hit IKEA while I am there! It sounds like once I get in there, I may not make it to any other stores before my time is up! Thanks for giving us the scoop!
I love Ikea, and have been waiting and waiting for this one to open in Charlotte. All of the little toys/rugs playthings are so adorable (especially the kitchen items). you can preview most of their items on the website so you know what you can expect to pay. By far my favorite item: the AGAM Junior chair, bye bye booster seats! this chair is perfect for your child that is too short for a grown up chair, but too big for a high chair. The best part it is only $35!!
I am a huge IKEA fan, and favor the one in Pittsburgh (until now). I have a couple of other suggestions. First, check out their Web site and match items you want to store availability before you go. Second, measure your space and write the measurements to take with you, and take your tape measure, too. I have frequently been on the verge of a large purchase there, only to realize I didn't know whether it would fit. Third, make a list. It's so easy to get caught up in spur-of-the-moment purchases and forget all about what you went for.
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