IKEA

This morning, after breakfast, we decided to go to IKEA. I have never been to an IKEA store, in the states or here, so I was curious, and we are in Sweden so it feels sort of like an obligation. I don't exactly know how to describe the place without sounding negative, because they have some decent stuff, but I wasn't super impressed. It is located outside of town in a big commercial area, there are are a bunch of large warehouse stores all facing one another, not charming at all. The interior was better designed than the exterior however and you didn't feel as if you were in a warehouse (at least in the furniture section). The best way I can sum it up is : Walmart + Design = Target, Target + More Design = IKEA.

One cool thing they had were these display units showing their furniture being tested. It looked like some sort of torture device built by an industrial designer.

We ended up walking through all of the big-box stores. There were a couple of sports stores, a shoe store, a Bed Bath and Beyond type store, and COOP (the big version, I can't remember the name, we have a small one next to our apt.) Inside COOP you can find your groceries and a handful of other household necessities. One very strange thing is this ticket machine for purchasing tobacco, razors, or condoms. You have to take a ticket, showing which item you want to a clerk who then allows you to purchase said item. I have no idea why these three things are singled out or lumped together in the same category.