There will be meatballs

Today, Tampa takes another step on the journey to the Big Time!
Or not.
Or somewhere in between.
Depending on whom you ask.
Today, is the official Grand Opening of Tampa's IKEA store.
There has been, and continues to be, much debate on how big a deal this really is, with seemingly everybody having something to say. Personally, I think it's cool. there has been a lack of Swedish culture in this area since the Lightning screwed up royally and gave away traded Fredrik Modin to Columbus for nothing Marc Denis.
Regardless, the people who are excited about it, some camping out since Monday in anticipation of today’s festivities, don’t really care what anybody else thinks. Chronicling every aspect of the store’s development on her blog and via updates on Twitter since ground was broken, Kelly Hickman is arguably Tampa’s biggest IKEA fan. Here’s what she had to say about The Big Day and the whole pro/anti IKEA kerfuffle:

So if Sweden is so great, why did you move here?
Po-boys, Santa Claus and Walt Disney World
(author's note: Kelly Hickman is a native Floridian who has lived here her whole life. The author, on the other hand, is a boob)

Everywhere I’ve gone for the last two weeks, all people are talking about is this Grand Opening even though most of them aren’t going to be able to go. Where does IKEA get off stealing ideas from the Super Bowl?
Well, actually it's quite the opposite. IKEA has been around since 1943, the Super Bowl since 1967. You do the math.

What is it about IKEA that gets people so excited?
At the top of the list... the fantastic prices, over 10,000 well-designed practical home furnishings for every room of the home, the room settings in the Showroom, IKEA's environmentally and socially responsible efforts, Smaland for kids, dual flush toilets, the .99 hot breakfast and, of course, the Swedish meatballs.

Do you plan on camping out for the Grand Opening?
No, but I do plan to arrive by 6am on Wednesday morning when the festivities are scheduled to begin. There will be jugglers, stilt-walkers, a drum line, children's chorus, dancing and musicians. There will also be Jumbotrons in the parking lot so no one will miss any of the action. The opening ceremonies will begin at 8:30am and Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio will join IKEA Tampa Store Manger Monica Varela in sawing a ceremonial log in half.

How many people are following you on Twitter now?
140

What do you say to the people who don’t share your enthusiasm for IKEA?
Everyone has different tastes, so not everyone is going to like IKEA. That's cool. And it only makes sense that not everyone will be as enthusiastic as many of us are. What doesn't make sense to me are the people that are just grumpy and want everyone to know how much they "don't get" IKEA. I would just remind those people that they do have other retail choices and that if they "don't understand" the IKEA excitement they may just want to try seeing a movie or heading to the beach, perhaps. I continue to be entertained by the critics who spend a great amount of time trolling news sites, posting negative comments, responding on Facebook and Twitter, etc., basically what I see as wasting their time, commenting on how IKEA fans are "wasting their time". People camp out for concert tickets. They camp out at Best Buy prior to every "Black Friday". This isn't that bizarre folks. So, again, if the IKEA excitement, and people having a good ol' time around something, annoys or angers or confuses someone, I would suggest that they get a life and/or find a shrink.

What do you plan to blog about after the Grand Opening is over?
IKEA Tampa special events, sales, fan comments, etc.

You know that movie “Fight Club”, that scene where Edward Norton has an apartment or something and it is all furnished in IKEA stuff? And it blows up? And then, like, all his possessions are destroyed? Do you remember that?
Yes.

That was awesome. I thought that was awesome. Did you think that was awesome?
Yes.


There you have it; even Tampa’s biggest IKEA fan thinks it’s awesome when IKEA stuff gets blown up. Perhaps the two factions are not as different as they may think.

IF YOU GO:

• Opening festivities begin at 6:00AM
• Doors open at 9:00AM, but people have been allowed to line up outside since Monday at 9:00AM.
• Ongoing updates and reports can be found at the IKEA Tampa Fan Blog and by following IKEA Tampa Fans on Twitter.
• The first 100 adults (18 and over) in line will receive a free POÄNG armchair
• The first 2,500 people to visit IKEA Tampa on Opening Day will receive a random prize envelope with IKEA Gift Cards ranging from $10 to $250, or a "Buy One, Get One" cinnamon bun, hot dog or frozen yogurt voucher.
• The first 100 children (under 18) in line will receive a free FAMNIG heart-shaped cushion.
• Visitors who bring proof that May 6th is their birthday will receive a $10 gift card.
• From May 6 through 10, visitors to IKEA Tampa may enter a drawing to win one of ten $1,000 IKEA Gift Cards. IKEA will match the prizes (a total of $10,000) with a home furnishings donation to the Child Abuse Council of Hillsborough County.
• IKEA Tampa will be IKEA’s 3rd store in Florida, 37th in the United States and 297th overall.