Riot at IKEA UK

7,000 people converge on the UK’s new IKEA store grand opening, riot ensues over sale prices. 5 hospitalized, hundreds hurt. Madness.

Though I’m not sure I wouldn’t trip someone over a $70 couch…

IKEA ::hearts:: the USA

From USA today: IKEA builds on furnishings success.

Nice article on IKEA’s plans for the US and how they alter things from the European mindset, and of course that loveable Ingvar.

IKEA in UK schools

Bristish teachers are snapping up a DVD produced by Swedish giants IKEA to use as a teaching aid for woodwork classes.

Not the IKEA Way

Renton, WA reconsiders renaming road IKEA Way due to protests of lesser stores on same road. (Whiners)

“The council now intends to designate the area near the business as the IKEA Commercial District; proclaim the week of Oct. 17 “IKEA Week”; and hang banners from city streetlights in honor of the business… IKEA is the city’s largest sales tax generator and has given sizable donations to the Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center and Renton Technical College.”

More on tragic IKEA deaths

IKEA Owns Up Responsibility for Deaths at Saudi Arbabian store opening

The IKEA Saudi Stampede

Religious reasons quite possibly drove the mass stampede at the IKEA in Ridyah, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is pretty well off, so the lure of a merchandise voucher wasn’t the mistake made by IKEA. It was Saudi Arabia’s fault.

In a modern country where movie theaters are banned and women driving cars is forbidden, so restricted are people in what they can do or watch a new store is a new experience that EVERYONE must go to. They were bored - pure and simple. And people died because they aren’t allowed to do much, at all.

Read the spin here.

Sure, it’s a great place but…

Three trampled to death in a rush to claim vouchers at the first IKEA furniture showroom in Saudi Arabia.

2005 Catalog is out!

At least the online version… Do I have any volunteers for supplying paper copies for the catalog liberation front when they come out for us luckless bastards living out of the approved zip codes?

Uhm

Even I’ll admit that this sounds like a bad place for an IKEA.

The Miracle of lmhult

Very extensive set of articles on the history and social effects of IKEA.