Dietche was adamant. “What is it about you American’s and Furniture? It is SOOOOOO EXPENNNSIVVVVE”
Dietche and her Family were in Boulder for over three years from the Netherlands on a Work Visa, an opportunity for my kids to learn about Dutch customs (and make some forever friends), and for them to learn about America.
One thing we learned is the Dutch like to change their living environment often, at least once a year, and they depend on a single, primary source to do this well but affordably: IKEA.
My wife loves IKEA so much, when we went to visit Grammy this summer in Northern New Jersey, she penciled a day to visit the IKEA built by the infamous clover leave highway juncture of Rte.17 and Rte.4 in Bergen County, New Jersey.
ALEXANDER’s department store commanded the North West corner of this heavily travelled CloverLeaf for years, but in the 1980’s fell into disrepair and finally was boarded up. My last visit last century to Alexander’s found if transformed into rows of folding tables piled high with discount clothes, and people wearing discount clothes were rummaging through them.
Donald Trump, riding high on a sparse quarter of profits from his sporadic casino business, engaged the city of Paramus about developing the lucrative acreage into a mall, but came away from the experience (with the Mayor of Paramus and his Brother who owned the Bergen Mall directly across the highway) announcing in the papers ‘Paramus is the most corrupt town I have ever seen.’
Yet corruption has an enemy, it is capitalism, and the tax base Paramus’s boarded up Alexander’s was losing over the years was more than a Mayor and his Brother could defend, but they needed to fill the lot with an alternative to a Mall, and the wily Dutch made the move.
Spend the day at a Furniture Store? I thought, but as a smart husband I don’t question itinerary. Write that down dads: Don’t question Itinerary.
And she was right. Plenty of easy parking. Escalator takes us up to the entrance, and right there is …. Is… MY GOD….. they take the kids????!!!!! For a whole HOUR, you can leave your kids with nice older women who supervise them in a play area. SOLD.
Then there is the actual STUFF IKEA stock. Sofa’s and shelves and things to make your house look and feel cool, all cheaper than anything hawked on Craig’s List. And smart stuff, stuff like the Japanese figured out for Automobiles back in early 1980’s, like cup holders, but at IKEA it’s for your HOME. The shrinkable hanging closet caddy made of netting and a single open holes for holding shoes, socks, toys, shirts. The Table that bolts to a wall for folding up (Perfect for tight NYC studio living or the kids room in a house). Oh, heck you go find out the rest. Plus there are inexpensive adornments, artwork, hangings, all the stuff Dietche wanted to make a change every spring, you know, change the darn place we are in with the kids all the time, CHANGE. With an IKEA in town it’s easy. With American Furniture stores, it’s a second mortgage.
But the wily Dutch don’t stop there. The hours is up, we have more stuff in our cart then can fit on the return plane flight, and we have to get the kids. At the exit is IKEA’s Swedish cafeteria! For the price of a Big Crap, IKEA provides a plate of 15 Swedish meatballs steamed, with 2 red potatoes, string beans and a refillable drink. We fed Mom, Dad, our 2 kids a filling wholesome meal for $15.
So back in Boulder, CO, we are working to get an IKEA here, ASAP. IKEA did answer our email, they WANT a store in the DENVER area, but finding a lot big enough for the IKEA footprint is tough, and I’m sure, like Paramus, NJ, there is vested interest in keeping IKEA away from Denver consumers. So be it, I am currently looking for a lot near DIA big enough for IKEA, and will keep them posted.
Barney Moran
Grateful Dad
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