IKEA in Memphis – Memphis Flyer

My wife and I checked out the new IKEA on Monday. Wowsers, that place is huge. We walked for miles, but we scored a sweet Blomma, a couple Mongstads, and a Pjätteryd. I’m also enjoying the jar of Sylt Lingon. We had to park 100 yards away from the entrance, probably because the lot was so full of people from Nashville. I don’t know what the Swedish word for busy is, (I’m guessing “hölyshyttz”) but that place is definitely hopping.

The Flyer staff took a week off between Christmas and New Year’s. I spent part of my time in New Mexico, visiting family. And let me just tell you, this carry-on luggage situation is Out. Of. Hand. People are schlepping so much stuff on planes these days that it takes 20 minutes just to get off after you’ve landed. Here’s a free idea, courtesy of my brother: Everybody who doesn’t have carry-on luggage gets to deplane first, leaving the schleppers to battle it out among themselves. You’re welcome.

While in Las Cruces, my brother and I took a walk in the Rio Grande River. That’s right, in the Rio Grande, which in the wintertime is nothing but a broad stretch of dirt, due its being shut off by an upstream dam. Insert “build a wall” joke here.

Speaking of jokes, our president-elect appeared to spend most of his holiday break (Excuse me, “Christmas break”) tweeting. He reiterated his love for Vladimir Putin, continued disparaging the investigation of the nation’s intelligence networks into Russian hacking, gloated several times about his election victory, and complained that a new CNN book on his campaign used an unflattering picture of him on the cover. I keep wondering when it’s going to hit him that he has the most important job in the world coming up on his agenda in two weeks. Maybe his inauguration will wake him up, though I doubt it.

And even that event has proven problematical, mainly in that no “A List” stars have agreed to perform. The Rockettes were slated to dance, then many of the dancers decided to opt out. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is still on the docket, but now some of those folks are getting cold feet. At this point, the entertainment may be six Rockettes, the Mormon Tabernacle Quartet, and Ted Nugent performing “Wang Dang Sweet Poontang.” Though I hear the Red Army Chorus is available.

Trump’s premier media supplicant, Sean Hannity, interviewed Julian Assange, who conveniently said that the Russians weren’t involved in Wikileaks, thereby moving former conservative media outlet Fox News further into the Soviet camp. In other news, Hannity has also agreed to become Pravda‘s New York correspondent.

It really is mind-boggling, when you think about it. Fox News, the former bastion of right-wing conservatism, has become the most prominent American media booster of Vladimir Putin, a thuggish dictator who shoots down civilian airliners and murders his political opponents. Imagine if someone had suggested this scenario a year ago. You would have thought they were insane.

It’s a topsy-turvy world right now, and 2017 is looking like one for the books, as Trump continues to deflect and postpone questions about how he’ll insulate himself from his business interests while president. Meanwhile, Congress proposed, then backed off — due to public outrage and a critical tweet from Trump — ridding itself of that pesky Office of Congressional Ethics. If there were ever a clearer indication that we’re flirting with becoming a kleptocracy (or a tweetocracy?), I don’t know what it would be.

Meanwhile, on Twitter, First Daughter/Lady Ivanka Trump hustled “Happy New Year” coffee mugs with her daddy’s face on them. I’d buy one, but I got a “Liberal Tears” kaffeekopp at IKEA, and I’ve grown attached to it.

Joshua Cannon

With a symbolic log sawing meant to bring good fortune to one’s home, IKEA Memphis opened its doors to a cold and eager crowd Wednesday morning.

“To Swedes, IKEA means home,” said Goran Lithell, the deputy chief of mission from the Swedish Embassy in Washington D.C. “Starting today, I think that you might feel the same. At IKEA, we take our traditions, food, and household goods and fill the gaps in our lives from not being at home.”
[pullquote-1]

The 271,000 square-foot store is the Swedish company’s first in Tennessee — the 43rd in the United States and the 392nd across the world. IKEA has created 225 new jobs in Memphis, and, reflecting the company’s sustainability efforts, has installed the largest rooftop solar array. It’s also only the third location with full LED lighting, in store and for sale.

“It’s not just a store,” said Lars Peterson, the U.S. President of IKEA. “We also try to be a good company in all of this by doing the right things. Our sustainability mission is something we’d like to continue. We are committed to doing good business when doing business.”

Memphis City Council Chairman Kemp Conrad praised IKEA’s “fantastic culture” for raising its minimum wage and extending a four-month paid parental leave to its employees.

“Hopefully that’s a model other companies will follow here in the United States,” Conrad raid.

Conrad also championed Memphis and Shelby County government for reeling the retailer into its smallest U.S. market yet. IKEA projects the store will bring 1.5 million patrons per year drawing from a 200 mile radius of Memphis. Based on first year projections, Conrad raid, that alone will generate more than $400,000 in sales tax revenue from outside the metro area.

“Since Memphis is the hub of the Mid-South, what that means is where we stand right now is not just a great place for Memphians to shop — it’s going to be a destination for those coming from miles around,” Conrad said.

Waiting since 9 a.m. on Monday, Southaven resident Kelli Patrick was first in line, shaking from the cold but excited to shop.

“I thought it would be a fun experience,” Patrick said. “I mean, we get a couch, so that’s fun too. But it’s something you can say you did once in your lifetime and you’ll never get to do it again.”