lamps, snacks and bed frames ... may not be a target but sounds like it ight as well be. Just not seeing the excitement of the place, certainly not to a level of making a multi hour journey to hit one

As others have said, if you don't get IKEA, then it probably isn't for you. It's not for your typical Mathis Brothers crowd. I too would take IKEA over a Target or Walmart or Mathis Brothers any day of the year. There really is no place left in the metro that sells comparable furniture and products.

By the title, I was getting overly excited =(

I think the mods should change it to be more accurage with either a ? at the end or change the title to Possibility of an IKEA in OKC?

My wife and I went to the Ikea in Frisco, TX a couple of weeks ago, while we were in Frisco for the Jimmy Buffett concert.

I couldn't wait to get out of that store. The furniture is stark, cold, and uninviting, (to me). Of course the fact that we had just got through eating at Campisi's across the street might have had something to do with not enjoying a mile long walk through the store......ha

I know IKEA was looking in alot of states for new sites. They are wanting to open like 20 new stores in ten years. They were in Oklahoma and looking at some land east of Tulsa by the soon to be Hard Rock. I know they were wanting to put an IKEA somewere in NE Oklahoma and a big reason is because all the booming in Ark.

I know they were wanting to put an IKEA somewere in NE Oklahoma and a big reason is because all the booming in Ark.

They why are they looking in NE Oklahoma?

They why are they looking in NE Oklahoma?


Because they want to put a store in a metro. OKC played a big part in wanting to be in NE Oklahoma.

OKC played a big part in wanting to be in NE Oklahoma.


What do you mean by that?

i know ikea was looking in alot of states for new sites. They are wanting to open like 20 new stores in ten years. They were in oklahoma and looking at some land east of tulsa by the soon to be hard rock. I know they were wanting to put an ikea somewere in ne oklahoma and a big reason is because all the booming in ark.

rofl

I'm guessing he's implying OKC on one side, "booming" NW Arkansas on the other and Tulsa perfectly in the middle.

I'm guessing he's implying OKC on one side, "booming" NW Arkansas on the other and Tulsa perfectly in the middle.

That's an interesting way to look at it, Tulsa benefiting from a growing OKC metro and NW Arkansas/I-540 corridor. Both are about an hour and a half from Tulsa.

That's an interesting way to look at it, Tulsa benefiting from a growing OKC metro and NW Arkansas/I-540 corridor. Both are about an hour and a half from Tulsa.

You are right on the Tulsa metro is also growing so fast right now that alot of places are looking at Tulsa right now. The BOK Center is getting alot of people from Arkansas to com to Tulsa Will see what happens it would be nice to see a meca in Tulsa. By the way alot of people I have talked to have said east Tulsa by the Hard Rock is the place to be in ten years. Stay Tuned!!!

I feel the need to join Oil Capital.

I would think that Moore/Norman or north Edmond/Guthrie would be the best places for this. Either way you have three smaller and two big colleges (OU, OSU, OCU, OC and UCO) within about an hour drive.

Not sure about Guthrie...definitely north OKC /Edmond area.

From a total market area, Tulsa makes more somewhat sense than N OKC or Moore/Norman for a concept store which folks will flock to. Not my cup of whatever, but posts here do suggest IKEA is an event trip, where a 3 hour drive or so is not considered too far to bother.

Just pondering the result if one draws a circle around Tulsa, and one around OKC, both circles having a 160 mile radius, then compares the populations.

so is there any new news on this? is ikea still putting in a location here?

This was never really happening, nik. Just rumors.

oh, alright thanks.

IMHO, it's a lot of hype (IKEA) but once you're there... I find it falls short. I have bought some items, and at best its good cheap furniture that will last a 'little while'. Now, some pieces better than others, some of the bed frames, mattresses are decent... the rest you truthfully may as well buy at Target. It's a wonder to me how just the "european" aspect to it has such a draw. Cheap is Cheap.

I feel the same way burlison. It's all crappy particle board furniture. The whole point of the place is that it fits in a box and you put it together later. There's nothing "good quality" about it. They do have some interesting food items that are tastey, but I can get that crap online. I don't really see what the big deal is because I can already go to any number of stores and buy cheap crappy stuff. I'd rather spend the cash and have furtniture that lasts.

That being said, apparently there are plenty people out there that like the cheap stuff. The one in Dallas is always very busy and it does create a nice tax flow. So while I would never go there, there are plenty people that do.

Not completely true, they do have plenty of solid wood furniture as well. Also their glass, home decorating items, fabric and other things are respectable quality and value, plus it's pretty hard to find modern-euro design furniture around here, even Suburban and places have limited selection and not everyone can afford the exorbant prices.

yes i have to agree with metro. i think plenty of their items are pretty good quality. and its hard to beat their prices. very affordable. for folks like me, broke college students, places like that are great. simply calling all of their stuff cheap and crappy, while your opinion, is a little overboard.

I have a very cool, stainless steel table in my breakfast room that is Ikea. It's very sturdy and I think it's attractive. The particle board furniture doesn't have a long half life, but, if you don't have a lot of money and plan to have more in the future, it's starter furniture. You probably won't see it in antique stores in 50 to 100 years, but it is serviceable at the price.

Not completely true, they do have plenty of solid wood furniture as well. Also their glass, home decorating items, fabric and other things are respectable quality and value, plus it's pretty hard to find modern-euro design furniture around here, even Suburban and places have limited selection and not everyone can afford the exorbant prices.

I agree, Ikea is great for affordable modern furniture and I have things from Ikea from 5 years back that are still sturdy and strong. Ikea has great modern accessories and fabric that I can not find anywhere else, design or price wise.

Some of there stuff is VERY cheaply made, but it is also VERY cheap to buy. Their shelving and cabinetry is where its at for me, as well as little kitchen/bath accessories. Nothing in our area even comes close to comparing for a lot of the things they have. I mean, you can buy a set of nice solid wood cutting boards for like $4, and they'll be attractive, how can you beat that.

My experience just speaks poorly for the quality of the product. I've got some living room furniture my parents bought from "The Brothers" back in the mid-80's that still looks as good as new and is going to be hanging around for a long time. You find me something at Ikea that can stand the test of now a 3rd generation's use and i'll concede (yes i said ... my kids). You don't have to spend an arm and leg to get good stuff...you just have to treat it right. But not matter what you do with particle board, it's going to fail...it's sawdust and glue. We all have some of that stuff and rotate it every time it breaks, but I'd rather go find some antique with some history (and they can still be cheap as crap) than some laminated sawdust. This stuff is out there everywhere, you just have to be willing to do the leg work to find it....and you're not going to be able to go to furniture row in a weekend either.

The majority of the products in an Ikea are not furniture, it's the other things that are needed to outfit a home. That is most of what we buy there.

Bomber, I highly doubt the demographic that wants the IKEA style is interested in mid-80's style furniture, sturdy or not. I think that's what it really comes down to. Cheap and in-style. It won't last forever, but when it breaks, something else will be in style.

The point wasn't that it was from the 80's jbrown. The point was it's good quality vs. cheap crap. I gurantee that a particle board bookshelf looks the same now as it did 15 years ago.

But just to note, you wouldn't be able to tell when we bought our furnture. It matches our entertainment center very nicely, which is less than 3 years old.

Well that's good. I think my argument holds though. People like cheap and they like in-style.

I had a similar discussion with my wife yesterday about kid furniture. She's on the Ikea side, and I'm obviously on the other side. Just different experiences growing up and whatever. To each his own.

Now personally, I'm still going to be dancing a jig if Ikea came here. The food products are some tastey stuff and the kitchen stuff is neat too.

I'm amazed at how many people complain about the quality of IKEA products. I hate to use this phrase but..."It is what it is." To compare it to high quality furniture is comparing apples to oranges. If you want to spend $3,000 on a sofa, don't go to IKEA. If you want to spend $500 on a sofa, then go. IKEA does not market itself as high-end furniture! It's like complaining that your Hyundai compact car doesn't have bluetooth technology, a 20-CD changer and seat warmers!

On that note, I love IKEA because I understand what I'm getting when I go. Picture frames are $7 to $10 dollars. The same picture frame at Hobby Lobby or Target is $12 to $20. I know, not high-dollar items so who cares? But I needed 20+ frames for my photography, and the savings adds up.

I also love that the furniture is European-sized. Yes, I can get a 12-piece sectional sofa from Mathis Brothers, but I don't have 15 feet for a SOFA in my home. I'm a minimalist, so I like smaller, more proportionately-scaled pieces of furniture. Bigger is not always better!

I also love the modern, clean-lined design. Another feature not easily found in Oklahoma City. As another commentator stated, I don't like the "weird" so-called modern furniture that Surburban carries, and the one sofa I liked was $15,000. Seriously? It's not that I can't afford it, I just think it's ridiculous to spend that kind of money on furniture!

And not to slam Mathis Brothers or any other local company, but very little of their furniture is solid wood. It's veneer so don't kid yourselves. And just because you pay $3,000 for a dining table and chairs doesn't mean it's high quality. Besides, they don't carry anything modern and I wouldn't DARE guilt my children into keeping a hideous piece of furniture that my grandmother bought 75 years ago just because it's still in good shape! That does not make it an antique...it just makes it old and out of style!

By the way, I go to IKEA often, so for those who love IKEA like I do but don't want to make the trip, I'll go for you. Just let me know.

renovatekate@cox.net

I'm amazed at how many people complain about the quality of IKEA products. I hate to use this phrase but..."It is what it is." To compare it to high quality furniture is comparing apples to oranges. If you want to spend $3,000 on a sofa, don't go to IKEA. If you want to spend $500 on a sofa, then go. IKEA does not market itself as high-end furniture! It's like complaining that your Hyundai compact car doesn't have bluetooth technology, a 20-CD changer and seat warmers!

On that note, I love IKEA because I understand what I'm getting when I go. Picture frames are $7 to $10 dollars. The same picture frame at Hobby Lobby or Target is $12 to $20. I know, not high-dollar items so who cares? But I needed 20+ frames for my photography, and the savings adds up.

I also love that the furniture is European-sized. Yes, I can get a 12-piece sectional sofa from Mathis Brothers, but I don't have 15 feet for a SOFA in my home. I'm a minimalist, so I like smaller, more proportionately-scaled pieces of furniture. Bigger is not always better!

I also love the modern, clean-lined design. Another feature not easily found in Oklahoma City. As another commentator stated, I don't like the "weird" so-called modern furniture that Surburban carries, and the one sofa I liked was $15,000. Seriously? It's not that I can't afford it, I just think it's ridiculous to spend that kind of money on furniture!

And not to slam Mathis Brothers or any other local company, but very little of their furniture is solid wood. It's veneer so don't kid yourselves. And just because you pay $3,000 for a dining table and chairs doesn't mean it's high quality. Besides, they don't carry anything modern and I wouldn't DARE guilt my children into keeping a hideous piece of furniture that my grandmother bought 75 years ago just because it's still in good shape! That does not make it an antique...it just makes it old and out of style!

By the way, I go to IKEA often, so for those who love IKEA like I do but don't want to make the trip, I'll go for you. Just let me know.

renovatekate@cox.net Ikea is know as "shabby Chic". Like you say, it is what it is. Their funiture seems functional and works well for college students and people starting out. I go to the IKEA in Frisco and it is always busy. I do like some of their products and furniture ok. Quality is good but not exceptional.

So, the last word on this is that Tuscana is still going forward, and they haven't ruled out the possibility of trying to get an IKEA there, correct guys?

So, the last word on this is that Tuscana is still going forward, and they haven't ruled out the possibility of trying to get an IKEA there, correct guys?

This thread should disappear for a couple of years. Im sure the Tuscana people would love to have IKEA and may/did try but its not going to happen for several years.

Hi everyone,

I am new to OKC and OKCtalk and I really glad I found this forum. I currently do ikea runs for friends and I was wondering how many of you would be interested in me offering this service to you for a reasonable fee. That is, being a personal shopper for items from Ikea and delivering them to OKC - eliminates Ikea's excessive shipping fees and saves you time to send with loved ones. Please share your thoughts. Thank you :o)

Hi everyone,

I am new to OKC and OKCtalk and I really glad I found this forum. I currently do ikea runs for friends because I am always in Dallas and I was wondering how many of you would be interested in me offering this service to you for a reasonable fee. That is, being a personal shopper for items from Ikea and delivering them to OKC - eliminates Ikea's excessive shipping fees and saves you time to send with loved ones. Please share your thoughts. Thank you :o)

http://images.icanhascheezburger.com/completestore/2009/4/19/128846758935052566.jpg

Sorry to sound fussy, but shabby chic does not in any way, mean cheap but stylish things. Shabby Chic is actually a specific style of design usually involving faux antiques, with distressed finishes, and a lot of antique style linens and lace, mixed with an eclectic mix of modern items. It is really just a european term for what we in Oklahoma would call "rustic". I know to some on this board this will sound silly, but everyone has their pet peeves, and this is one of mine. Ikea is not even remotely Shabby Chic, it is really more Scandinavian modern, but with a lot of products that could be folded into a lot of styles.

All that being said, I'm a fan of Ikea and would love to have one...

Shabby Chic (http://www.shabbychic.com/) is a store, or at least they were until they closed them all but in NYC and Santa Monica when the economy cratered, we had one in The Domain in Austin right by our office. Now it is mainly an online store and distributor through other stores like Target. It is the style that EBAH stated. Ikea is affordable modern furniture, most pieces are better in quality than you would find in a Big Lots Furniture, rental center or Wal Mart but it is not the equivalent of the large furniture stores and they don't really claim to be.

I'd be interested on occasion.

http://images.icanhascheezburger.com/completestore/2009/4/19/128846758935052566.jpg

y'know, the elitism on this forum is really starting to get out of control.

y'know, the elitism on this forum is really starting to get out of control.

How do you mean, fuzzytoad?

Obviously, some people think ikea is just about the most uncoolest thing going that one can become interested in.

Obviously, some people think ikea is just about the most uncoolest thing going that one can become interested in.

Last I checked my updated standard reference manual for elitist activities, I failed to see IKEA on the list. Maybe someone should send me a new one.

IKEA is a great place to shop for inexpensive minimalist furniture. I'd say the quality is on par with the furniture purchased at Target. Great for college kids. I wouldn't go so far as to pay someone to purchase items for me, but when we're in Dallas we usually stop by to pick up a few knick-knacks, swedish meatballs, and, strangely, the only place outside of New Jersey where you can buy a Tarantino's pizza turnover (or panzarotti, bascially a deep fried calzone).

I'm just bothered by people who assume that desires for goods from certain stores are "elitist". Especially a cheap place like IKEA? I don't get it. I'm starting to wonder if people really know what the word means. Maybe fuzzytoad can enlighten me.

I'm just bothered by people who assume that desires for goods from certain stores are "elitist". Especially a cheap place like IKEA? I don't get it. I'm starting to wonder if people really know what the word means. Maybe fuzzytoad can enlighten me.

Or maybe you should pay attention JerzeeGrlinOKC.

I was commenting on mikesimpson's elitist post, not Scorpiondiva's post about a shopping run to Ikea.

Please direct your attitude elsewhere.

Or maybe you should pay attention JerzeeGrlinOKC.

I was commenting on mikesimpson's elitist post, not Scorpiondiva's post about a shopping run to Ikea.

Please direct your attitude elsewhere.

Last I looked, mikesimpsons post does not contain anything. So maybe you can just chill a little.

Oh ok it came back. I just saw an x last time.

Fair enough.

Accept my apology for the miscommunication.

np

I wouldn't go so far as to pay someone to purchase items for me,
I think that's the meaning of the pic. That's how I took it anyway.

BTW, welcome to OKCTalk ScorpionDiva.
:welcome55

Thanks for the welcome, MadMonk. Thanks for the replies too...I see how this might be a joke to some but the same could be said of other convenience services like drycleaning delivery, grocery delivery. Just an idea I had and wanted to get your thoughts so I appreciate the feedback...keep it coming. :)

Hi everyone,

I am new to OKC and OKCtalk and I really glad I found this forum. I currently do ikea runs for friends because I am always in Dallas and I was wondering how many of you would be interested in me offering this service to you for a reasonable fee. That is, being a personal shopper for items from Ikea and delivering them to OKC - eliminates Ikea's excessive shipping fees and saves you time to send with loved ones. Please share your thoughts. Thank you :o)

You asked for my thoughts, and here they are:

If you were somehow able to get together with The Fat Tire Coallition (http://www.okctalk.com/food-restaurants/15327-fat-tire-coallition.html), this would undoubtedly be the greatest force for good in the world since the Captain got together with Tennille.

We're Wal Mart people, {damit!!!}

@ Matt...good idea indeed. My husband would like that. Thanks :o)

I think that's the meaning of the pic. That's how I took it anyway.

BTW, welcome to OKCTalk ScorpionDiva.
:welcome55
Exactly. The picture had zero to do with Ikea. But in fuzzytoad's case, ignorance is bliss. Well, that or plain outright stupidity.

So, was this entire thread just gossip? It was started five years ago and I'm disappointed there isn't one here.

IKEA furniture is made for small living areas - when OKC gets more small living areas then an IKEA or similar store will open. As long as the average apartment size is north of 700 sq feet there will not be an IKEA. Although, with some of the new urban apartments coming on-line soon their might be a market developing for someone to open a downtown urban furniture store.

Maybe your dad can help lure one here, I'm sure he has some pull with the CoC. And if Norick can get Bass Pro, maybe your dad can lure IKEA, which is much better IMO

Metro - you don't buy IKEA furniture to furnish a 1000 sq foot apartment. You go to IKEA to furnish a 500 sq foot box that has one window. There would be little to no demand in OKC in which to support a store the size of IKEA.

Hey, Mayor Mick got the NBA here too, luring an IKEA should be easy in comparison.

Perfect location, replace Bass Pro with the IKEA. Make sure they leave the big fish tank though.