Thousands swarm to Ikea opening day

The wait ended today for thousands of Ikea lovers when the Swedish furniture giant opened its first store in the Republic.

Stilt-walkers, an Abba-themed band and Irish dancers entertained the flat-pack fans with many queuing for around four hours at the Dublin outlet before the 11am opening time.

Around 3,000 people poured through the doors in the first hour, casting aside fears that recession-weary shoppers might not be taken with the hype.

But despite the mammoth queues, the purchases of the first few shoppers through the tills were surprisingly modest, ranging from a frying pan and salt and pepper shaker, to slippers.

First in the queue was bleary-eyed Stacey Harcourt, from nearby Ballymun in the north of the city, who, along with her five friends, had camped outside the store since 4.30pm yesterday afternoon.

“I’m knackered now, absolutely knackered,” she said.

The 26-year-old mother-to-be, who declared herself an avid fan of the retailer, was hoping to pick up a nest of tables, a bed and some bits and bobs for her new arrival, expected in December.

“We’ve been playing charades. We had two tents out there and we had friends coming over giving us food,” she said.

“We were out at the gates. We didn’t sleep, we were basically keeping ourselves entertained by playing games.”

The six were rewarded for their dedication with a €500 voucher to splurge in the new store.

Ms Harcourt was presented with a huge bouquet of flowers as she headed into the shop to be deluged by a mass of ticker tape and hundreds of cheering staff who formed a guard of honour.

The Veltoms, from Shankill, south Dublin, were the first family in the huge shop, led by beaming mother Catherine.

The winner of a €500 bedroom makeover and a €500 store voucher, she was clutching flowers and was a little overwhelmed by all the attention.

“I really didn’t know what to expect. I’ll have a good look and see what’s there,” she said.

Further down the queue, Ikea lovers Lydia Thornton, 40, and Ella Daly, 28, met for the first time at around 7am and had been chatting ever since.

“I am a fool. I am an Ikea nerd, I think,” said Ms Thornton, an architect who travelled from Co Waterford last night for the launch.

Ms Daly, who came from Limerick last night, joked that she had been training in the Wicklow mountains for her mammoth shopping day.

“I came yesterday and did an 8km walk in Glendalough to prepare myself mentally for the biggest shop in Ireland,” she quipped.

Shelly Moran, 23, and friend Karen Buckley, 24, from Santry, cut a dash as Abba lookalikes, and their efforts paid off after they won a 10-euro voucher.

Ms Buckley has just bought an apartment in Malahide and the friends were hoping to stock up on supplies.

“We thought we were mad this morning but we already got prizes, a voucher for Ikea. We’re dressed as Abba as they’re Swedish.

“We’ll just browse today and see what they have. We’ve never been to Ikea before.”

The 31,500 square metre store – the size of five and a half football pitches - is one of the Swedish giant’s flagship outlets, boasting 1,850 car spaces and 500 staff.

Store manager Garry Deakin declared the shop open after sawing through a giant log in a traditional Swedish ceremony.

Shoppers milled around the massive aisles, brimming with shelves, beds, kitchen appliances, lamps and a host of other items.

But the first purchases were small.

Dorothee Koenemann, on holiday from Germany with her family, bought a frying pan and salt and pepper shaker after waiting two hours, while the first shopper in the store, Ms Harcourt, stocked up on just slippers and toys.

“I’m so knackered now, too tired to shop. I’m going home to bed,” she said.

Despite the buoyant mood, talk of the economic downturn was not far away.

Michael Ratchford, from Duleek in Co Meath, an electrician, bought a bed. He believes the cut-price deals will attract recession-weary shoppers.

“It’s brilliant. You have to remember that it’s going to be here for good and you shouldn’t go crazy,” Mr Ratchford said.

“I think the prices here will drive more people away from other places. I think it’s strategically timed.”

But fellow shopper Aileen Fleming, from Clondalkin, thought the hype had pulled in curious window-shoppers.

“I think it will go great for a while and then it won’t. People just don’t have the money. I know an awful lot coming out today and they’re not coming to spend, just coming for a look. It’s all the hype,” she said.

Mr Deakin has promised there will be no difference in price from Ikea’s Belfast store and rejected claims that motorists would face traffic chaos.

Gardaí, Fingal County Council and Ikea will implement a traffic management plan to deal with the large number of vehicles expected in the first week.

The superstore, which will not open until 11am midweek as part of strict planning rules, will also be served by Dublin Bus routes from the city centre.