IKEA West Chester in the News

And I have this story going national, but here is the local video. Anyone want to bet money on it coming from Jungle Jims?

2010 Catalogs arriving in mailboxes now!

The most highly anticipated day in a IKEA fan’s life is the day the catalog arrives. Mine arrived today, but I’ve had one for a week now and some time to peruse it.

Last week went to the catalog preview at the store for a presentation by the Store’s manager Lonnie, and PR person Kitaleana.

It’s always been impressive that IKEA lowers prices, I’ve seen many products over the years go down, and this year is no different. What is most stunning in this catalog is the prices. Lots and lots of lowered prices. Something have been permanently reduced sometimes as much as 40% or more.

They said he “seize the day” sales have been so successful they decided to bring a bunch to buyers all year. They worked ot deals to lower costs and actually passed them on. That’s stunning in this economy.

Some of the reduce items on the entire EXPEDIT line of storage units. The smallest one is reduced $10, and the rest even more. LACK Side tables were $12.99, and are now $7.99. That’s a deal!

Also one impressive thing was SUNNA lamps. For $12 you get a nice little desk lamp, sit it in a window and you get 4 hours of light in the evening. IKEA is giving one SUNNA lamp to Unicef for each one bought, the first batch are going to Afganistan for displaced refugees so children can study after thier household duties are done. Pretty cool.

Lots of new stuff of course in the catalog as well. As well as the years new eye shocking slipcover for the CLIPPAN and a New IKEA US/North American President!

Look for your catalog soon!

I have a BRAND NEW birch LACK sidetable up for grabs, courtesy of the West Chester store and it could be yours. I won’t ship it though so you have to be willing to drive to Butler County for it. (depending where you are I could meet you somewhere).

To enter the drawing, tweet me with #wintable in your message by Aug 13, 2009. I’ll let the winner know and work out delivery.

IKEA SUMMER SALE!

The IKEA Summer Sale starts
Friday, June 19, 2009.

Come to the IKEA Summer Sale and take advantage of savings of 20 - 60% off selected items throughout the store. Your IKEA store offers exceptional value on extraordinary design at everyday low prices. Get a head start! Be the first to shop at the IKEA Summer Sale during our preview sale June 17 - 18, 2009.

News from West Chester!

I got this today from Kitalena Mason, the awesome PR lady at the West Chester Store:

Remodel
Our Wall Unit and Media Storage department is getting a major makeover. Customers might think they’re in the middle of construction, which they are. It’s going to be awesome when our designers are finished next month. Trust me, it’s worth checking out. It’ll really highlights TV storage solutions.

Teacher Appreciation Night
Details are on the website. We want to say thank you to teachers in our area with a night of relaxation and chances to win free stuff! They soooo deserve it!

Miss Heather’s Storytime
We’ve been doing this for a couple of months now and it’s a hit with kids and their parents. The dates and times are on our web site under “What’s going on in our store.”

The Complete Kitchen Living
I think you know by now the CKL offer we have: save up to 20% on your kitchen
purchase.

Media-wise, in February we were in Home Trends Magazine highlighting our kitchens. A veteran kitchen remodeler did his kitchen with IKEA and had great things to say about our store. I believe you can check it our on the Home Trends website or we have copies for visitors to read in our kitchens department.

Also did you know we won some great recognition by City Beat magazine. In the “Best of Cincinnati” issue, we were voted Best New Store, Best Furniture Store and Best Home Accessories store! Pick up a copy. We also did an ad in there thanking the readers.

I think that’s all for now. We’re working on some great events for 2009-2010

Boy that went quick.

If you haven’t gone to IKEA yet to get your $9.99 11 qt pot, don’t bother. They were lining up for them at 9am and they were OUT about 10:22. I should know I got one of the last dozen.

Everyone had one. It was insane. Some did nothing more than walk out of there with a pot. It was nuts. Packed.

Happy Birthday IKEA!

Ikea West Chester is ONE YEAR OLD TODAY! YAY! One year ago the door opened, what a cold day that was!

I should go there for dinner to celebrate! Who’s with me!?

(The pic is my Nephew Nick on a recent trip, he LOVED the play stations, he’s one year old too!)

News on the Winter Sale!

The IKEA Winter Sale. It’s why Santa gives you cash.

For the initiated veteran, the IKEA Winter Sale is the event of the year. Deals Galore.

It’s when they close out discontinued products at huge markdowns. Sometimes even 50% off or more. You just never know what. Could be a entire line, just be one color, or just one model of a collection. Never know. What you do know is, if you see something marked down, don’t wait. Get it now. It might be thre when you come back. When they are gone they are gone, as usually they are things being removed, or already removed from the the product lineup. (This is the kind of sign you will see if it’s marked down to clear out forever, yellow with red price, just so you know what you are looking at when you see it.)

The key of course is getting there as early as you can into the sale for the best selection. Going later on might have even further markdowns, but you will have less choice, so I suggest get in there as fast as you can.

This has grown to be a yearly tradition for us. We drove to Shaumburg, IL every Christmas break for six years to go (usually the week after Christmas, if not the day after).  Sometime we would haul family members with us, lured along with promises of a fabulous Brazilian Churrascuria resturaunt near the store. (Last year when we went to Canton, MI. late in the sale and there wasn’t much to chose from.)

So, December 26th when you are bored of playing with your new Wii, load up the car and join me at IKEA. I’m sure I’ll be there somewhere!

Breaking NEWS:

Photo By: Wishingonclovers on flickr.com

IKEA West Chester is hosting its first annual St. Lucia holiday TODAY beginning at 6 p.m. (Yes I know that’s NOW, I just found out).

The traditional Swedish holiday celebration will kick off with children from Swedes In Greater Cincinnati caroling throughout the store wearing white St. Lucia outfits. Afterwards, they will treat visitors to Swedish holiday songs. The adult choir from “Swedes In Greater Cincinnati” will also sing. When performances are over, guests will be treated to a Swedish holiday saffron pastry, according to a news release.

The tradition of St. Lucia dates from the 17th and 18th centuries. Saint Lucia appears on December 13, wearing a white, full-length chemise with a red ribbon around her waist and a wreath of lingonberry sprigs on her head. The wreath carries candle-shaped lights to give the effect of a halo. Lucia is followed by a choir of star boys, who sing a repertoire of Christmas songs.

Afterwards, Lucia treats her audience to Saffron pastries called Lussekatter. This day symbolically opens Christmas celebrations in Scandinavia, bringing hope and light in the darkest months of the year.

For more information, visit IKEA.com.

(info from Middletown Journal)

Sieze the Days (again)

I forgot to list the last couple that have happened, but not this time!

New stuff on sale! Free Breakfast!

Still no word on the traditional Winter Sale that starts Day after Xmas (or boxing day!), but we still have time to hear about that one. (I already am taking that day off! Wee!)

In other news, IKEA West Chester is now selling small versions of the big blue bags!

They aren’t by the registers like some stores seem to have them, for some reason, but back near the clocks in Home Org, or someplace like that. They are a very handy size, great for groceries!

Bye bye bags

I should have bought one as a collectors item last weekend, but IKEA no longer offers the clear 5cent plastic (one use) bags in any of it’s stores worldwide starting today. Europe hasn’t had them for a while, but our time as come as well.

You can still get the iconic and enviable “big blue” mega bag with the cloth handles for just 59cents, which is great for so many things. I use them for everything from grocery shopping, weekend trip packing to storing sleeping bags! (No really it holds two of them, three if you roll them tight!)