When pooches required to riding the New York City train in Ikea bags, they got to comply — thanks to their human buddies’ resourcefulness — with the animal travel guideline that dogs might board the train however would need to do so in a “container”.
It’s outside-the-box (or the bag) thinking like this that the international style supervisor at Ikea of Sweden, Johan Ejdemo, enjoys.
A dog on the New York City train. Picture: eatliver.com
Because Johan’s primary style requirements are that a product “stay useful and helpful”.
We’re looking at the lively classics on screen where everything started, the extremely first Ikea store in Älmhult, in the Småland province of Sweden.
That store is now the Ikea Museum and showcasing a lively time-travel exhibit, Ikea Through the Ages, to commemorate the business’s 80th anniversary.
But it is alternative usages of the numerous Ikea styles he has actually been associated with that pique Johan’s interest, as he talks about the block-hopping pups’ shenanigans. “Intellectually, from a design perspective, you’re very curious about that,” he says.
Johan Ejdemo, international style supervisor, Ikea, at the Ikea Museum.
Curiosity and development are examples at Ikea, a tradition of its creator, as I discover.
These extremely words, and principles to their impact, are eternalized on countless walls as I stroll through different business structures throughout my go to, from the passages of the top-secret model properties to the test laboratory and Democratic Design Centre.
The international brand name was developed by Ingvar Kamprad, a kid business owner. Ingvar matured on a farm in the location and began his profession at the age of 5, offering matches.
The fields around this area are infamously stony (on the night I get here, in the land-of-the-midnight-sun 10pm daytime, our train whizzes by countless stone walls in green plots, similar to rural Ireland as we make our method from Copenhagen Airport to Malmö and after that on to our location).
Ingvar Kamprad.
The land produced poor crops. “People had to be innovative, creative, strong, and stubborn,” says exhibit manager Mats Nilsson.
“Families were thrifty, and many became entrepreneurs to make ends meet, selling homemade goods or preserved foods.”
Then: The initially Ikea store in Almhult, Sweden.
Ingvar’s very first consumer was his grandma, and he later on branched into offering cards, publications, garden seeds, and fish, and later on, at boarding school, watches, pens, wallets, and belts.
The Ikea name was born utilizing Ingvar Kamprad’s initials plus Elmtaryd, the family farm, and Agunnaryd, the farm’s parish in Småland.
But the 17-year-old Ikea creator didn’t offer furnishings — yet.
As he continued his business and college studies, he realised success depended on simple, cost-efficient distribution from factory to customer. This meant direct import and mail order, of watches and pens at first.
Exhibition curator Mats Nilsson.
But he saved up to invest in furniture.
Ingvar Kamprad’s office, as shown in the Ikea Museum.
The post-war Swedish government had built more housing and offered home furnishing loans — and Småland had numerous furniture factories.
And so Ikea debuted furniture in its 1948 brochure, which became the famous catalogue.
The Ikea catalogues, displayed in the museum.
The rest is history.
Now Älmhult is home to buildings including a test lab and prototype shop where the Ikea retail business is operated through a franchise system with franchisees that are authorised to market and sell the Ikea product range within specified geographical territories.
The first Ikea store is now the Ikea Museum.
Today, 12 different groups of companies have the right to own and operate Ikea sales channels under franchise agreements.
Ikea furniture from the 1960s.
Ikea opened its first store in Älmhult in 1956 (where the Ikea Museum is now located), and this company now employs 5,600 in the town.
While still en route, a Swedish rail passenger asks where I am headed for.
Her eyes light up when she hears. She has just returned from a work trip to Italy, where glimpses of Ikea billboards made her feel at home, she confides.
Ikea creator Ingvar Kamprad’s Volvo at the 80th-anniversary celebrations. Picture: Jonas Ljungdahl
Ikea, to Swedish people, has all the feelgood associations of Christmas, she says.
And yes, there’s a bit of a high-tech yet very Santa’s Workshop vibe (in spite of the summer sunshine, of course) about it all.
I’m thinking of the 1990s festive fantasy movie — but with more Scandi sleekness — as I investigate the Ikea Test Lab (strangely mesmerised by a chair going through its nine millionth test), and tour the model building.
Some 155,516 people visited the museum last year and there is even an Ikea Hotel (kitted out with Ikea pieces, naturally).
Because when Ingvar Kamprad opened the initially Ikea store, people travelled there from far and wide.
The Democratic Design Centre in Ikea, Älmhult.
Less than a decade later, he opened a Motell Ikea there, on August 22, 1964, with 25 rooms, a restaurant, and a swimming pool.
Now, the number of rooms at Ikea Hotell has actually grown to 254.
The copper roof of the 1964 building has been repurposed as a reception desk, and the limestone floor has been preserved, as has the open fireplace in the restaurant.
“Cutting down on resources is not only thrifty, it’s also eco-friendly,” notes Ikea.
The communal areas, on all levels, have a cool, college-like ambiance. During my stay, I spot several fabulous four-legged fellow hotel guests.
So, as for those intrepid Ikea bag-loving canines on the NYC subways?
They would be more than welcome, with special spaces set aside for visitors arriving with dogs and cats.
A dog on the New York City train in a customized Ikea bag. Picture: eatliver.com
