[stacylu]

Originally Posted by kmcg

Stacy handled Seattle, but here's an addition:
phone: 425-656-2980
kitchens expeditor: select 5, then select number for those who have ordered a kitchen already, and you'll get voice mail for Cindy, an extremely helpful Ikean.
I also have ext. 1410 listed as one to reach the kitchen desk in the warehouse area

As mentioned by Stacy, you can bypass the store if you just want to pick up kitchen items (or Pax items) and you basically know what you're looking for. The desk there is staffed if you have questions. It is located straight up the main aisle if you walk in through the exit - and Pax aisles are on your right as you walk toward kitchens.

Kathy

THanks for filling in the phone numbers - we've never ever called!

[GardenOfDarwin]

Thanks to all of you. I need to round out the Seattle listing, but other than that, for the ones we have, we're ready to roll. Just working on squashing a bug that makes the display wonky in IE, and we'll release this feature to the members.

We are still looking for information on MANY, MANY stores -- I've PM'd members that I know of who shop different stores for whom we have no info, but it's slow going...if you have info you can add to the pot, PLEASE let me know! Thanks again for all your help on this project!

Susan

[jenplocher]

In going through some paperwork, I found a couple of minor things that can be added to Atlanta phone numbers - the overall store number is 404-745-4532, and the after sales extensions are 1450 and 1453.

(Not that these numbers were ever very helpful to me - faxing/calling the direct kitchen extensions was the only thing that got me anywhere, but oh well.)

[Toxigal]

The store number is 410-931-5400. The kitchen extension is 1925.

[Susan]

Thanks guys! I'm working my way through all the steps towards getting this up and running. As everything, it takes longer than you thinks. Keep the info coming...I'm still in need of alot of information, still detail oriented stuff, like the best IKEAns to see, and where to park kind of stuff that you can't squeeze out of an official IKEA site, no matter how hard you try!

Thanks again for all the help on this project!

Susan

[kelly]

Best Time/Day to visit: Weekdays before noon. After 5:00pm on weekends, after 7:00pm weeknights- Sunday night the best. I don't know about other IKEAs, but Twin Cities has a large tourist population as it is across from the Mall of America. Weekend days are a mind-melting people-stuffed shuffle through EVERYTHING. Do the store backwards as laid out below.

Parking: Lower level by returns- after entering on IKEA Way from Lindau Lane, continue to the last stop sign, make a left. Continue to the stop sign, and go two more rows, take a left. You are now by elevator which takes you directly up to the home delivery/will-call/returns/as-is area. Generally, you can park very close to the 15 minute pick-up area.

Leaving: how to leave is an an underrated tip- DO NOT following the misleading signs for highway 494 from the preferred parking area outlined above. Leave ONLY the way you came in- you will have access to all area highways by going back out IKEA Way onto Lindau Lane- which feeds to all highways.

Smaland (which sounds like it is named for all the smal people in it, but its actually a province in Sweden)- 1 hr drop off period- frequently full. If you go outside recommended times, DO NOT promise your children that they will get to go to Smaland. They probably won't. If there's anything worse than an unmotivated child at IKEA, it's an unmotivated, dissapointed child at IKEA.
Restaurant-style beepers available for parents. They will stamp your hand without asking. Fill out your paperwork while in line.

IKEA Twin Cities with children, no Smaland: 3 things on your side: 1) the restaurant 2) the cheap toys and housewares (kids love the little tiny glasses) 3) the snackbar. By plotting head, you can space out bribes that will work with anyone 2.5 years or older eliciting a semblence of good-enough behavior to get through the store.

Shortcuts: from recommended parking-take elevator up- you are now in front of checkout....remember, from the wrong side of checkout

AS-IS dead ahead thru checkout, veer left

Home Delivery, will-call and returns; to your immediate left before check out: Take a number at returns. There is a lounge with toys, chairs and a TV by will-call. Children (and SO's) can be parked and watched from no-man's land between lounge and home delivery, will-call and returns.

SnackBar and market place: on your right, opposite checkout

Smaland: on your right, continue past Marketplace/snackbar, and behind the main escalator.

Housewares: through the door behind Smaland- you can loop through housewares (recommended without children- GLASS) and pick up bribes (tiny shot glasses- they love milk out of them!) and continue the loop around through (kitchenwares, lighting, rugs/textiles, plants, pictures) OR skip that and take the shortcut through housewares on the left wall and come out in plants, which takes you directly to the WAREHOUSE.

Warehouse: through checkout stands the WAREHOUSE. Check out the new ordering kiosk- if you know the name of the item you want, you can pull it for yourself using the article number receipt-generator thing. You will feel smart. If you go late enough at night on a Sunday your spouse and children can get up a good head of steam and ride the carts all the way down the aisles....this is not recommended. But very fun.

Toys- from the main escalator in front of Smaland, take a left. You will be distracted by the kitchen display's siren song, but resist! You should only follow that song if you are committed to going around the Horn to get there....

Kitchens- go backward through Toys- much shorter and the kids will have a new item to handle while you dream....

[narodsobe]

Round Rock (Austin) Tx.

Best time to visit: anytime during the day. It's new so anytime out of normal work hours are great.

How to get there: I35 to 'University Blvd' (think this is name from south) or 'Cedar Park' (if coming from north). It's north Round Rock, just south of the new outlet mall on the east side of the road. You have to exit WAY ahead of the Ikea so just BELIEVE...Texas works on these frontage roads so if you get out too early...keep going and you'll get there. A new 3-sided sign popped up a week or so ago so you should have no problem. Get out at Univ Blvd...head east and take the entrance OFF Univ Blvd (otherwise you get backed up along frontage road...the Univ Blvd is the best way). EVEN better, take 1460 from Georgetown and go the back way in--1460 (aka Leander Road) hits Univ Blvd and you take a right, cruise west on Univ Blvd and then take a left when you see the magic blue building. Best parking is the family friendly parking, just below the front entry. Also parking along the side. It's all pretty good parking here.

Building is ONE FLOOR. 252k sq ft I heard. Restrooms are at entrance which also provides easy access (just to the left) to checkout and snackbar/Swedish food. This is the first Ikea I've seen that has exit so simply connected with the end--usually it's a maze of mazes. Cafe is in middle just after children's. There are 'shortcuts' throughout the store --in fact if you get to the front door and you want to hit kitchens straightaway, find the Smaland at the right in the front bestibule and look right behind there, there is a fast track to kitchen!

AS IS is just to the right just before checkout. Delivery and full service and returns are also to the right, after checkout. There's a good section in self service for if you have to order those last minute full service things (if you forget, for example)...very helpful.

Catalogs to borrow throughout. And they sell the blue bags!!!

By phone: when you get to main #, hit 3 for kitchen and 1 for kitchen cabs...questions. Folks there are only partially in the know...there are seasoned staff that they evidently brought from other places but then recruited some new locals so...YMMV.

I heard that the manager Jeff O'Shaughnessy came from Toronto and some other places before that and his key staff are from other Ikeas too so I am sure they will have implemented lessons learned. I have to say that of the ikeas I know (Chicago, Prague, Moscow, Warsaw, Houston) this is the best I've been in.

Thanks! Email me if I forgot something. Always a likelihood. Tamara

[GardenOfDarwin]

Wow, Wow, Wow! Such good information! Thanks.

We're going to implement this a bit differently than we originally planned. In order to keep the pop-up small and manageable, we're going to have limited information in the pop-up with a link to a page with room for much more information, so the more the better! Thanks so much for everyone's time and effort on this. We're still seeking information on many, many stores, especially ones in Canada and around the world.

We also currently have nothing on New Haven, Burbank, Carson, Covina, San Diego, Elizabeth, Paramus, and Long Island in the US. Even if you are a lurker and are not comfortable coming out of lurkdom, you can contact us through the link at the bottom of your page or here: Contact Us

Thanks again for all the help on this!

Susan

[GardenOfDarwin]

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this project - the new IKEA Store Directory is now open in the IKEApedia. The stores indexed are those for which I have information. If you don't see your IKEA, please feel free to complete a survey and post here, or PM me! We're also looking for store maps and FAX forms!

Also, you'll start to notice store links throughout the forums - rest your pointer on one to get basic info, or click to be taken to the store page. As with any new feature, there may be bugs to be worked out - if you spot one, please let us know!

Thanks again for your help and participation, and feel free to send in updates or new information as you get it.

Susan

[Nova_craft]

Ikea Vaughan

I know someone else posted about this store, I just wanted to add a couple of points...

Our kitchen associate/planner person was Nafisa (reach her at (905) 695-5077 XT 2926). A wonderfully helpful girl who was very patient and explained things well. Sadly, she didn't enter our measurements into the kitchen planner right. I caught it when we left the store (on the way home)

When I got home, I called back the store, and they told us we would have to come back in to make the changes to our order (some associates were quite rude about it).

Eventually I reached Melanie. She was able to add the pieces we needed to our order and still have them delivered with our main order. We will have to take back some of the bits we ordered that we won't be needing due to the change.

We were promised a Wednesday delivery, and DW took a day off work to wait for the cabinets. She works in engineering and her time is quite valuable. You can imagine how pleased we were when a call came to my work at about 2:30PM saying the order wouldn't be delivered that day. Ikea refunded $50 from our delivery fee, and delivered on the following Sunday.

Overall we are happy with the Ikea product, but have found this store to be less friendly and accommodating than the Ikea in Burlington Ontario where we shopped before.