I am not sure if IKEA in other countries are doing this, but several shopping malls in Stockholm have smaller IKEA stores. They sell mainly small items, though you can see some larger items in-store and order them online. They also have a design department where they will design something for you for free and then order it to be delivered to your home. We did this with part of our kitchen.
I sometimes pop in to these IKEA stores for lunch (cheap and really good) but try to avoid the main part of the store because you can never leave empty handed.
This last week I did pop in though, as I needed a new big blue IKEA bag (those things are so useful). I bought this one. It came in two different colourways
I also bought one of these. I didn’t need it but I fell in love with it. It will be a gift for a family member in South Africa. I am considering buying a couple more as Christmas gifts. They are a 2025 collection, so I am not sure if they will be available after this year.
I always smile at the BLÅHAJ (blue shark) displays. These first became popular as Russian memes, where they were posed in different situations and then photographed.
They then became a symbol for the transgender movement. I am not sure if the colours echo that of the transgender flag (pink, white and blue) or if its cuddly nature and good price make it a natural gift to show support. It was the autumn school holiday in Sweden recently and I saw many high school students buying them, maybe as a show of solidarity.
I love Ikea! My husband is not really a fan, so we don’t get to go that often. There are no small Ikea shops in our area and we need to travel all the way to Hamburg to go there. I use the lovely red bag you gave me all the time… I absolutely love it! Thank you so much for sending it to me! As for the Blahaj (sorry I can’t put the little circle on the A), I am addicted…. They are so hugable!