IKEA in Chilliwack?
What's happening to small town farm culture in the wack?
Yesterday I went with my family to Ikea in Burnaby. We got there at opening time. The parking lot was already packed. It was free admission, so we felt lucky and skipped into the elevator to begin our ride.
Walking out into the crowd we immediately found ourselves sucked in by the beauty of the first mock livingroom. It was our ideal life, pre-assembled, waiting for us. There weren't any unpaid bills or socks under the couch cushions, (removable, soilproof, available in many color cushion covers, btw) there weren't toys strewn about, the paint wasn't chipped on the wall, the coffee table was to die for. We lounged there for a while then couldn't resist the next living-space cubicle tease.
On and on it went, a frenzy of model-number jotting, measurement taking, life-with-great-home-furnishings-filled-dreaming, cardboard model tv pondering, and people watching.
"Could this really happen in Chilliwack?" I asked myself. Could we really get an IKEA in the wack? Do we really need one?
What happened to buying furniture from places like Sears or that little furniture shop in the Chilliwack Mall or something pre-loved from Bibles for Missions in Sardis? Why the need to buy new, all-pine, and spend too many evenings with complimentary allan key wrenches and pieces of wood all over the livingroom just to get an unstained Ikea bookshelf?
Back at work today I took a poll of coworkers and people on the street to get some feedback on the idea of IKEA building their next big box here in Chilliwack. I was suprised to hear many say they would love the idea, that having a local IKEA would make them buy even more essentials like wicker baskets, trivets, and those cool white office storage boxes with silver corners. Listening to their responses I couldn't help but be reminded of the BNL song "If I had a million dollars" which tells a story about two people talking about whether they'd still eat Kraft dinner or not when they got rich. The song goes on to reveal "of course we would, we'd just eat more..."
With that it became clear to me. Following the recent landing of the uber-Canadian Tire, Staples and Real Canadian Superstore, IKEA is the inevitable next big box to assimilate Chilliwack residents to its ikealized ways of living, and encourage us to leave our corn growing, church-going, cultural roots behind.
After my extensive market polling and well researched city planning I decided IKEA Chilliwack would make a perfect addition not only to Chilliwack's growing list of destination attractions, but also to the growing list of exotic international IKEA stores including Hungary, Kuwait, Israel, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iceland, China & Singapore. My proposal to land it somewhere near the Lickman or Annis overpasses will be arriving by courier to IKEA HQ in Sweden and City Hall downtown Chilliwack sometime today. If you cross your fingers (and if maybe another 100,00 people move to Chilliwack you may just see this dream come true in a corn field near you. (I wonder if IKEA stores come premade in many boxes with instructions in a bajillion languages and free little tools to assemble them?)
If you want to thank me later I do like those little wooden Ikea farm toys.
Send us your feedback, thoughts about Ikea coming to Chilliwack, or your favorite item you've purchased from Ikea and how it makes your life in Chilliwack all the better
Recent Feedback about "Ikea Comes to Chilliwack":
Domingo says
Some would think an Ikea would bring convienience to Chilliwack. Well, it does. nuff said. April 4, 2007
Lorena says
Great! I love I Ikea-they are child friendly. I welcome the idea! November 11, 2006
Fedrock says
My husband and I love Ikea and we think it would be a GREAT idea! (sorry for the lame rhyme). We totally support an ikea here in chilliwack. November 8, 2006
Jamie says
OMG...PLease no, chilliwack is a awesome small city, please dont bring an ikea here, that would just bring way more traffic here..yuck....that would be aweful, if people like ikea that much then the drive to burnaby isnt that bad....plus we have everything we need here. November 6, 2006
Jasmine says
I think chilliwack needs a bigger, better walmart and mabey a home depot before anything like an ikea....chilliwack is nice as a small city. WALMART rules. November 6, 2006
Juliana says
i was just wondering when we can start applying for ikea in chilliwack and when is the date when it is suppose to arrive. October 25, 2006
Amanda says
PLEASE! What a great idea! I'd much rather shop there without having to plan a full day to make the trip out to Burnaby! October 24, 2006
Shannon W says
I am so excited I could cry!!!!!I love that were getting an IKEA, Im known for my obsession with that store and to have one as a neighbour ....Ahhhhhhh! Thank you. October 23, 2006
Nicky says
I don't think Chilliwack needs an ikea, although it would be cool, there are W-A-Y more important things before an ikea should come this way! Like a BIGGER mall our mall sucks so much it's sad. Everybody has to go to abby atleast in order to get anything decent. October 20, 2006
Dee says
"OH MY GOD!!! YES!!!! I LOVE IKEA!!! I live for IKEA, my whole house is IKEA, i hear the words IKEA adn is amazing i would never leave chilliwack if there was an IKEA here!! Please bring IKEA to ME!!!!" October 14, 2006
Vanosch says
"How wonderful is that?!!!!!! It is fantastic to see the growth in our community economy. We've seen some great changes over the last while with housing and commercial buildings. Perfect timing with the 2010 Games happening. As a life long resident...I have the right to say.."Bring it all on!" Thank you Mayor Hames!!! Thank you for putting us on the map...and dare I say, it's high time we were rid of the farm smell." October 8, 2006
Wwest says
"
Sorry but as big as store as ikea is I can't see it lasting long, lots of people like to talk but few actually buy when the time comes... If an idea did come it would shut down a lot of small bizs as well, or at least a chance of that ... Some could just get out right frusterated and close down. Allso rather than insulting all the current shops and places here why not tell them what you want in? Just what do larger places like aby have that you can not find here?.. Other than perhaps a slightly larger wallmart & zellers... wallmart is allso supposidly going to be opening its own larger store soon sometime as well... " October 6, 2006
Chloe says
I am all for an Ikea in Chilliwack,we just recently moved from Richmond and I am going crazy without an Ikea nearby. Is there really going to be one or are these just rumours and wishful thinking. October 3, 2006
NewChilliwackian says
"Having just moved to Chilliwack from Calgary, I must say an IKEA would be a great addition to the city although it would be nice to also have better clothing stores and a newer, bigger Wal-Mart. Costco is only about 15 - 20 minute drive right now which is closer than I used to drive in Calgary! Chilliwack is awesome anyway!" October 1, 2006
Melenko says
"
Love the idea of ikea in chilliwack. Cany wait. " Sept 30, 2006
Des444 says
Good grief people, they won't even put an IKEA in Winnipeg and it would be extremely successful since almost everyone here already oders IKEA thought the mail. September 21, 2006
Gord says
"
It would make a lot more sense to locate Ikea at Young & Prairie Central or Luckakuck & Young or East side of Vedder rd. & Yale West." Sept 6, 2006
Linda says
I think it a great for chilliwack to expand our stores here in chilliwack.The malls have very little. we have to go out of the city to find most things. September 2, 2006
Lynn says
"
I agree with " Dumb Idea ". Chilliwack needs a Costco before an Ikea! " August 30, 2006
Heidi says
"
It would be great to bring a little style to Chilliwack for a great price. Then maybe we will draw more people here so that we can get other great stores." August 29, 2006
April K says
"PLease bring Ikea it would do so good" August 28, 2006
Lori says
"No thanks. Let's get a better mall with some decent stores in it first. Tired of having to go to Abbotsford or Langley for good shopping." August 28, 2006
Jude says
"Ikea Is Great! Would be an great asset to Chilliwack & they would do a booming Business here!" August 28, 2006
Amy says
"
Whoooo Hooo! Can't wait!" August 28, 2006
Amy M says
"
Ahh, bliss! Bring it on :) " August 28, 2006
Jonathan K says
"Cool" August 28, 2006
Anita J says
"we love IKEA, we can hardly wait....YAHOO!!!" August 28, 2006
Kate says
"What a gay idea for a ikea. WE NEED A BIGGER MALL ,not a lam ikea.BIGGER MALL PLEEEESSSEEEE!" August 28, 2006
Dorus-Jose said
"We love IKEA,bring it to Chiliwack" August 25, 2006
Dumb Idea said
"what a dumb idea. if anything we need a costco, not an ikea. If you really need to buy something either take the drive or order by catalogue" August 24, 2006
Tim said
"That would be Great to have an Ikea. I've been waiting for a long time to have a big store to come to Chilliwack. DO IT PLEASE!" August 23, 2006
Kathy Y said
"Ikea would be an asset to Chilliwack, would love to have it here." August 21, 2006
Sook said
"
I am going to chilliwack. i love ikea a lot. please bring ikea to chilliwack." August 20, 2006
Merrisa said
"
Finally a real good store in chilliwack all we need left is some good clothing stores like " Winners,Gap,Old Navy And all those really nice stores good for everyone :D ANYWAYS IM HAPPY IF THEY PUT A IKEA IN CHILLIWACK" August 18, 2006
Brando said
"Do any of you fruit cakes honestly believe Ikea would put a store in Chillwack? Give your head a shake. Ikea would put a store in either Langley, Surrey, or Abbotsford before Chilliwack. Stick to the moonshine ya flip'n slack jawed yolkols." August 18, 2006
Donna said
"
Great love to have it here better than driving into Burnaby" August 14, 2006
The Kellys fam said
Wonderful Idea! Will be great for everyone! Go for it!!! August 13, 2006
Charles C said
"
Currently I live in Williams Lake, BC but am planning to move to Chillawack within the next year!! I love IKEA and always stopped at the one in Burnaby every trip I make down south. I think it would make the city so much more appealing and definitely bring in more people from the north there." August 12, 2006
Jeanette H said
"yes!!!!!!! bring it on I will sit with open wallet waiting for a chance to shop for things I like in my own city." August 11, 2006
Sing So Loud said
"lol. I've spent a whack at the non-whack ikea lately myself. If it was here, I wouldn't have to spend a whack on gas." August 10, 2006
Canadagirl said
"Please...PLEASE...Bring Ikea to Chilliwack...Love the idea...Love the store......" August 9, 2006
Post New Comment:
