IKEA. One of the most notorious retail stores in the world. Characterized by its fluorescent blue and yellow color pattern and endless rooms of all things concerning home decor. The mysterious aura that resonates from stories and fables about the building creates a bizarre energy around its name. But IKEA is so much more than what the pictures online show you. It’s a full on experience that you won’t find anywhere else, and attracts people that have no business shopping for home decor. In spite of that, something about the continental cuisine combined with the labyrinth-like warehouse pulled my attention, and called me to find out what is inside the fortress that resides in midtown Saint Louis.
Before I even stepped foot in my car, research had to be conducted to know what I had in store for me. (I have never been inside St. Louis’s IKEA, and entering the vibrant castle without prior knowledge of its structure would be a death sentence.) Through thorough investigation of videos, articles, and reddit posts, I was able to gain a fair impression of what made IKEA tick. The store is laid out in a format that keeps you entertained while also keeping you trapped. Right as you enter, a plethora of luminescent arrows pull your eyes to the various sections of the store. Two escalators lead you to the upper levels, while seemingly endless hallways surround you like a circulatory system, branching and looping to keep you always in motion. The marketplace feels less like a store and more like a meticulously modeled maze, designed to lull you into comfort before slowly disorientating you.
The showrooms that appear at every turn. The thick air polluted by Swedish meatballs and delicacies. The lack of natural sunlight or clocks. All elements of IKEA are engineered to keep customers in the store as long as possible, making it dangerously easy for shoppers to forget what they even came for in the first place. Alas, I am no ordinary window shopper. I am a student who has been well trained in the confines of Saint Louis Priory School to always question things, even when it is uncomfortable. In 18 years on this earth, I have never set foot in the infamous maze that is IKEA, but on Tuesday, that changes. Through in-depth analysis of the store’s methodology, I will discover what IKEA’s raison d’etre is, and put myself in one of the most treacherous situations a human can experience: A consumer’s labyrinth.
Post-IKEA
To say I was blown away would be an understatement. 17 years living in Saint Louis and I believed I’d seen it all, but IKEA was something different. From the department store having its own address (1 IKEA Way), to the sheer size of the building, IKEA completely crushed every expectation I had. I could instantly tell when I neared the end of my 18 minute drive that IKEA was a “sore thumb” in the community, but in a good way. It’s plopped down right in the middle of run down industrial buildings and impoverished neighborhoods, bringing a colorful light to the community. Its tall waving flags stood out in front like giants over the surrounding blocks.
IKEA’s position in terms of Saint Louis’s spread of wealth didn’t make much sense to me. I felt a store of its caliber would serve a better purpose close to Frontenac or Town & Country. Yet, after a prolonged time walking around and truly immersing myself in the IKEA experience, I changed my mind. One of the key turning points in mentality about the store was the first walk through of the showrooms. IKEA is made up of 26 showrooms, with a cleverly positioned cantine that sits between the walkways from showroom 10-11. The clever layout ensures that while customers tour around the store, strategically placed break areas are always around the corner. Never once does IKEA have two showrooms back-to-back that don’t have a comfort element. Whether its kitchen appliances transitioning into desk chairs or cleaning supplies transitioning into beds, IKEA puts customer wellbeing at the center of their experience. Another thing done well is how interesting the store is. I believe that if I went to IKEA 100 times, I would still not get bored of it because of all the little details one can miss. My favorite detail was that every single thing they sold was named by its Swedish name first, followed by the word in English underneath.
But what really dazzled me was how IKEA managed to keep me entertained for my five hour tenure. Every detail. Every showroom. Every appliance. IKEA had me completely enthralled at every turn, consistently giving me more and more when I thought I was nearing the end. The structure of the store kept me entertained while also keeping me lively. Projected arrows beaming from the ceiling top told my mind “conform and follow,” transforming me into a mindless zombie, doomed to wander the showrooms.Fake windows paired with misleading clocks kept me chugging along without a second thought of my intention. And until I reached the canteen and was met with my first glimmer of sunlight since entering, I didn’t want to leave.
The place truly had everything I could need. If I could make an extension on my Capstone project, the next mission would be spending 24 hours in IKEA. If I felt so inclined, one month living in the store doesn’t sound that far fetched. Bedding, lighting, chargers, food, showers. It truly had everything. And that was my favorite part. I walked into a department store with an endless maze of showrooms, yet I walked out with a plush otter and a red slushy. In the future, once I have escaped the confines of being a 17 year old in high school, I would like to attempt 24 hours inside the IKEA. Unfortunately, that day is not today, and I will have to throw in the white towel.
