i thought it would be bigger, the sales floor, that is. also, they don't have as much product as say, elizabeth, nj. that must be coming later.

somehow i wound up on the second slowest line in the place and then they swapped out cashier's.

shuttle ride is 10 minutes from the courthouse. and you can take the b61 bus there too. very convenient.

Lady J probably we were on the same line..:-))

I was hoping to eat the swedish meatballs that ikea is famous for, and could not, thanks to long lines.

The cashier did not accept my Ikea gift card after waiting 1 hour 10 minutes, I had to use my credit card.

One last attempt to coffee shop (because I was so overwhelmed wt crowd and tired, and hungry, and thirsty), did not have a happy ending, cause there were another hundred ppl in line..

I guess the whole town was eager to see new Ikea, like me
:-))

Oh well I still have my gift card and hundred more excuses to go & see

I went on Friday (yay, summer hours) and it wasn't very crowded at all. I took the water taxi and it was a gorgeous day to be out in the harbor. Beats the Elizabeth/Paramus buses by a hundred miles.

Although I should add that between taking the subway, walking to Pier 11, waiting for the water taxi, and the ride itself, it took me almost twice as long to get to Red Hook than it does to get to Jersey. But water taxis are love.

oh, i was there on Friday too. it wasn't crowded but a few lines were slow. i waited maybe 15-20 minutes. 1.5 hours is out of the f-ing question.

thing is, i rarely go to ikea. twice in three years...

I made the trek over there on Saturday. The shuttle bus at Court St wasn't very well marked (a non-descript bus with a handmade "IKEA" sign in the window!), but it's free and a quick ride down to Red Hook. The store itself was PACKED, and resembled a ride at Disney world. There were so many people walking around the store that we were practically propelled forward from showroom to showroom. Lots of great stuff, and most of the prices are fantastic. This place will be great once the hustle and bustle dies down just a little. I'd suggest venturing over there on a weekday!

I actually went over twice - once on Thursday night and once on Friday afternoon (I bought the wrong size Ribba on my first trip). I live about 15 minutes from there so it wasn't a big deal to go back. Thursday night was pretty crowded, but Friday wasn't bad at all. My only complaint is that my husband and I had no luck catching the shuttle going there on Thursday. We waited at least half an hour before we just jumped on the B77 bus.

went on Sunday afternoon and was expecting to get CRUSHED.
but honestly it was no worse than any other Ikea I've been to on a weekend.

waited maybe 15-20 minutes in line. Not unreasonable at all.

took the subway there to Borough Hall and the shuttle from there. waited probably 20 minutes for the shuttle.
On the way home took the shuttle to Smith 9 to catch the G. it was super fast.

now, if only I could say that for the G train.

I think next time the water taxi maybe my choice even though I live in Williamsburg! brooklyn to brooklyn transit is a PAIN.

I went twice on Saturday, totally unplanned. The first time was around 1:00 pm, while I was on my bike--I had gone to see someone in Red Hook and happened upon the signs, so I went by to check it out. I didn't go in, but the bedlam happening outside was entertaining enough. Throngs and throngs of people, tourists, and what appeared to be the aftermath of a fight between two grown women (one sitting with ice on her leg, cops taking reports). Later, I went back in the evening because my friends were going, so I hitched a ride--the place was packed like what, but the mood was good. Everyone seemed genuinely...excited. And there was a salsa band playing at the entry in case you were mad you weren't at the club.

went to a sneak peek on the 14th - see one see all...late in the season opening means that there is no extensive summer products...biggest plus - easier access to Red Hook

Does the term...."I'd rather poke dull hot needles in my eyes" mean anything to you?

I'll go when it calms down...

The line for food was pretty long, 15 minutes maybe? The line for the concession stand (after you pay for your furniture) looked way too long after walking around Ikea.

Not too crowded really for a Sunday afternoon. The bus from the slope got there in 10 minutes.

does the brooklyn ikea have a fabric department?

ive never before bought fabric from ikea. what is the experience like? do they keep bolts of it where you can access it, touch it....or is it behind a cutting table? is it a hassle to get someone to help you?

Buying fabric (I've done it at the one in Hicksville, Long Island) isn't too bad. There are swatches hanging so you can see what large pieces look like, and usually there is a staff member or two hanging out to help you. There's a cutting table where they cut it off the bolts. What annoyed me, though, was that there was a large swatch hanging of some really cool fabric. They were out of it, and wouldn't be getting any more in. (IKEA has stopped making it). But they would't sell me the swatch and I've been unable to find the fabric on eBay or Etsy. I'll keep trying, though. Other than that, my experience was just fine.

I haven't been yet, but expect to find the usual stuff that's prone to fall apart in a stiff wind. I'd rather stroll Atlantic Avenue's shops to find things that will last a lifetime. I've already furnished my apartment with several hardwood pieces from Home and Abroad. The prices are insanely good...check out the local scene!