IKEA

The IKEA store opened in Denver last year with packed crowds and my friends raving about the store. I wasn’t sure what the big deal was, but searching for a table of some sort that would support my keyboard at the standing desk, and Tia with a late horse lesson had me packing the kids in the car and taking a trip to see what all the hype was about.

After parking downstairs, and taking the escalator up, we were greeted by a desk display that creatively used a few elements to get Kendall excited.

The store isn’t really like a traditional store, with sections and display and lots of aisles. Instead it’s really a winding path through different areas. A few shortcuts, but for the most part they lead you through different areas, allowing you to wander around.
We enjoyed it, and saw some cool stuff. Kendall is certain she needs a new desk, and pointed this trestle stand out. You can get this, and a top separately, and assemble it. I now see some of the DIY ideas of Ikea firsthand.

She’s also enamored with the idea of blue these days, and wanted a blue chair, lamp, desk, and more. I told her we’d talk about it, and see.

At the end we ate in the restaurant, which was OK. Cafeteria style, with a mix of US and Swedish dishes. Caeser salads for Kendall and me, chicken tenders for Delaney. Not great, though we did try Lingonberrry tea (interesting and good) and Elderflower drink (weird). There was a self-service area to walk through for lots of assemble yourself stuff, similar to other stores, but this was a warehouse. There was also a supermarket where I was going to grab and try some Swedish chocolate, but there were only 4 self-service registers open, each with 20-30 people in line. No patience, so we left.
I’d like to go earlier, when more of the store is running and perhaps more interesting. I found a table that might work, though I need to re-measure and make sure. I wasn’t overwhelmed, and for the most part the styles are neat, but not great. I think I prefer American Furniture Warehouse in the Denver area.