Timing is everything. We recieved an email over the weekend from a fellow Ikea shopper who had something to say that we have often THOUGHT, but not said.

I had a new record today. I went to Ikea and didn't spend a cent. Not a penny. Ok, maybe a few bucks on delicious meatballs, but nothing on furniture.....

Why? Because everything was totally picked over, out of stock and just plain depressing. He couldn't find what he was looking for and he could barely find someone to explain why this was (read the rest of his email below). We have found that when Ikea is freshly stocked (at the beginning of each season) it is wonderful, but deep into the season, it really gets shoddy. Does anyone know whether this is actually true and not a insta-theory, and what the dates are? (Thanks, David!) MGR

This is the second trip I've gone on to the Ikea in Elizabeth and everything I wanted was sold out. Literally everything. I wanted lighting, they didn't have it. I found other lamps I wanted, they didn't have any lampshades. I wanted a quilt, they were all sold out. The kitchen Grundtal stuff was all opened, picked through, and impossible to put together a set.

I figured the first time I had a bad trip, that it was Sunday afternoon and had been a big weekend. But today was early on a Saturday and nothing. I asked a store worker (one of 6 I could find in the whole store) and was told it was always like this. What you can find is what you get.

Basically, I'm just sending out a warning to anyone who wants to go to Ikea and is willing to waste a Saturday. Prepare to be disappointed. You can still pick up a lot of random kitchen stuff, but don't expect them to have everything, it was almost comical today.

It was unquestionably my last trip to that Ikea.

David