6 ms·

I think this might actually work out because IKEA will essentially become the new $ANCHOR_STORE. In previous times these anchor stores were businesses that got

by OzzyB 6y ago

I think this might actually work out because IKEA will essentially become the new $ANCHOR_STORE. In previous times these anchor stores were businesses that got blown out by the Internet so there was no more anchor, and no more reason to visit the mall. > Big Clothes Store - Go Online > Big Book Store - Go Online > Big Cinema Complex - Go Online But furniture? People still wanna visit the showroom and check out the merchandise before dropping $thousands, and you might as well get a new pair of shoes and a sandwich too while you're there. In short, don't change the Mall, change the Anchor.

jermaustin1 6y ago
I have noticed over the last 15 years or so, a lot of the anchor stores in suburban malls (Macy's, Dillard's, JCP, the now defunct Montgomery Ward's) attempting to become furniture stores on their upper levels, but their execution was awful. The furniture is typically stodgy looking, almost like what a grand parent would have in their home, but worse quality. Its like the furniture is an afterthought to the store, and I rarely see anyone actually purchasing anything. Then when you go over to the UK, an visit a department store like a House of Fraser or John Lewis, their furniture has a much more contemporary look, and there are always people buying, talking to clerks about pieces, etc.
- cosmodisk 6y ago
  I do notice this with a lot of things in the US. It looks like it's either super expensive stuff that looks great anywhere and is usually targeting upper middle class/elite, or tacky, tasteless crap on the other side of the spectrum. There's almost nothing in between.
  - smacktoward 6y ago
    Ever-increasing income inequality means there’s really only two classes anymore: the rich, and everyone else. A bifurcated furniture market (tasteful, well-built stuff for the rich, disposable cardboard trash for everyone else) is just one natural consequence of that.
    - cosmodisk 6y ago
      I understand the sentiment you are leaning towards, however cheap or inexpensive doesn't need to be tacky. It is laziness when it comes to product, interior design and etc.
  - pfranz 6y ago
    I feel like there's the Ikea (or Target/WalMart) furniture that's basically disposable, you can take it home in your small car, cheap, but will probably break if you move it or disassemble it. It's great in college or after when moving between multiple apartments. It's flat-pak, all the materials are thinner so the design follows that. After settling down I wanted to invest more in furniture that wouldn't break or slide around. It definitely costs 3-5x more, looks better, but isn't great quality either. It's not flat-pak, cant be disassembled, wont fit in your car. I don't know if my calibration is off for what decent furniture should cost, or if everything started cheaping out years ago, but it seems like the worst of both worlds. The design is nice, but since it's wood veneer you can't really touch it up or repair it because the fiber board is showing through. I'm not sure where to find decent furniture. I feel like I'd have to pay through the nose for something bespoke.
    - cosmodisk 6y ago
      I'm in Britain, so obviously not very well aware of what's available in the US, however how does something like this compare to what's available on your side of the pond: www.oakfurnitureland.co.uk [Edit]: turns out they do sell in the US as well.
      - pfranz 6y ago
        (I'd love for someone else to chime in with other comparisons if mine seem off) It looks like they have one location in the US. I grabbed a random item to compare: Chest of Drawers £299.99 marked down from £379.99 which directly converts to $365/$465 https://www.oakfurnitureland.co.uk/furniture/original-rustic-solid-oak-3-2-chest-of-drawers/1138.html https://www.oakfurnitureland.co.uk/furniture/original-rustic... The US store has it for $649.00 marked down from $799.00 https://www.oakfurnitureland.com/furniture/french-farmhouse-rustic-solid-oak-3-2-dresser/1002623.html https://www.oakfurnitureland.com/furniture/french-farmhouse-... Pottery Barn is a nation wide upscale store. Here's a smaller Farmhouse 4-Drawer Nightstand for $599 https://www.potterybarn.com/products/farmhouse-4-drawer-nightstand/?pkey=call-bedroom-furniture&isx=0.0.4677 https://www.potterybarn.com/products/farmhouse-4-drawer-nigh... "Veneer" and "MDF" (medium density fiberboard) are both mentioned 4 times--often as selling points. JC Penny is a nation wide department store that would be one of the "anchor stores" in a mall. Home Styles Bermuda 4-Drawer Chest $432 marked down from $480 https://www.jcpenney.com/p/home-styles-bermuda-4-drawer-chest/ppr5007898992?pTmplType=regular&deptId=dept20000011&catId=cat100250036&urlState=%2Fg%2Fhome-store%2Ffurniture-store%2Fdressers-chests%3Fid%3Dcat100250036&productGridView=medium https://www.jcpenney.com/p/home-styles-bermuda-4-drawer-ches... Unassembled, put together with glue and screws, and painted.
- hellomyguys 6y ago
  I think for as long as I can remember, home goods/furniture has always been on the top floor of most department stores like Macy's.
mywittyname 6y ago
>, and you might as well get a new pair of shoes a I spent tens of thousands decorating my new house with furniture bought online. I found the experience to be excellent and will probably never bother buying in person again.
janekm 6y ago
That's it exactly. Looking through the website of Ingka group they are all malls with an IKEA as the anchor store. Which makes perfect sense for IKEA group... In a normal mall the anchor store gets the best lease deals, so may as well operate both and get the extra revenue from the other leases...

by OzzyB 6y ago

jermaustin1 6y ago

I have noticed over the last 15 years or so, a lot of the anchor stores in suburban malls (Macy's, Dillard's, JCP, the now defunct Montgomery Ward's) attempting to become furniture stores on their upper levels, but their execution was awful. The furniture is typically stodgy looking, almost like what a grand parent would have in their home, but worse quality. Its like the furniture is an afterthought to the store, and I rarely see anyone actually purchasing anything. Then when you go over to the UK, an visit a department store like a House of Fraser or John Lewis, their furniture has a much more contemporary look, and there are always people buying, talking to clerks about pieces, etc.

cosmodisk 6y ago
I do notice this with a lot of things in the US. It looks like it's either super expensive stuff that looks great anywhere and is usually targeting upper middle class/elite, or tacky, tasteless crap on the other side of the spectrum. There's almost nothing in between.
- smacktoward 6y ago
  Ever-increasing income inequality means there’s really only two classes anymore: the rich, and everyone else. A bifurcated furniture market (tasteful, well-built stuff for the rich, disposable cardboard trash for everyone else) is just one natural consequence of that.
  - cosmodisk 6y ago
    I understand the sentiment you are leaning towards, however cheap or inexpensive doesn't need to be tacky. It is laziness when it comes to product, interior design and etc.
- pfranz 6y ago
  I feel like there's the Ikea (or Target/WalMart) furniture that's basically disposable, you can take it home in your small car, cheap, but will probably break if you move it or disassemble it. It's great in college or after when moving between multiple apartments. It's flat-pak, all the materials are thinner so the design follows that. After settling down I wanted to invest more in furniture that wouldn't break or slide around. It definitely costs 3-5x more, looks better, but isn't great quality either. It's not flat-pak, cant be disassembled, wont fit in your car. I don't know if my calibration is off for what decent furniture should cost, or if everything started cheaping out years ago, but it seems like the worst of both worlds. The design is nice, but since it's wood veneer you can't really touch it up or repair it because the fiber board is showing through. I'm not sure where to find decent furniture. I feel like I'd have to pay through the nose for something bespoke.
  - cosmodisk 6y ago
    I'm in Britain, so obviously not very well aware of what's available in the US, however how does something like this compare to what's available on your side of the pond: www.oakfurnitureland.co.uk [Edit]: turns out they do sell in the US as well.
    - pfranz 6y ago
      (I'd love for someone else to chime in with other comparisons if mine seem off) It looks like they have one location in the US. I grabbed a random item to compare: Chest of Drawers £299.99 marked down from £379.99 which directly converts to $365/$465 https://www.oakfurnitureland.co.uk/furniture/original-rustic-solid-oak-3-2-chest-of-drawers/1138.html https://www.oakfurnitureland.co.uk/furniture/original-rustic... The US store has it for $649.00 marked down from $799.00 https://www.oakfurnitureland.com/furniture/french-farmhouse-rustic-solid-oak-3-2-dresser/1002623.html https://www.oakfurnitureland.com/furniture/french-farmhouse-... Pottery Barn is a nation wide upscale store. Here's a smaller Farmhouse 4-Drawer Nightstand for $599 https://www.potterybarn.com/products/farmhouse-4-drawer-nightstand/?pkey=call-bedroom-furniture&isx=0.0.4677 https://www.potterybarn.com/products/farmhouse-4-drawer-nigh... "Veneer" and "MDF" (medium density fiberboard) are both mentioned 4 times--often as selling points. JC Penny is a nation wide department store that would be one of the "anchor stores" in a mall. Home Styles Bermuda 4-Drawer Chest $432 marked down from $480 https://www.jcpenney.com/p/home-styles-bermuda-4-drawer-chest/ppr5007898992?pTmplType=regular&deptId=dept20000011&catId=cat100250036&urlState=%2Fg%2Fhome-store%2Ffurniture-store%2Fdressers-chests%3Fid%3Dcat100250036&productGridView=medium https://www.jcpenney.com/p/home-styles-bermuda-4-drawer-ches... Unassembled, put together with glue and screws, and painted.
hellomyguys 6y ago
I think for as long as I can remember, home goods/furniture has always been on the top floor of most department stores like Macy's.

mywittyname 6y ago

>, and you might as well get a new pair of shoes a I spent tens of thousands decorating my new house with furniture bought online. I found the experience to be excellent and will probably never bother buying in person again.

janekm 6y ago

That's it exactly. Looking through the website of Ingka group they are all malls with an IKEA as the anchor store. Which makes perfect sense for IKEA group... In a normal mall the anchor store gets the best lease deals, so may as well operate both and get the extra revenue from the other leases...