IKEA Photos
Recommended Reviews - IKEA
Start your review...
3 years ago
Quayside IKEA store I did not plan go to IKEA, but I saw the store from the marine terminal in Southampton. I had already had breakfast but needed a layover, so to speak, between disembarkation and heading to the train station for a Gatwick bound train. That said, I just had a snack and hot tea. I'm not going to question how well this IKEA does its job. I'm sure it does. However, as one approaches it, it's sort of a weird store. It's propped up, with parking underneath it. However, as you make your way through the parking, you go through areas with conventional parking and these more industrial looking parking or delivery areas. Mind you, this was coming from the side fronting the marine terminals. Upon leaving, it became apparent that there's a swath between office buildings going toward the underwhelming train station in Southampton. They seem to have all the typical IKEA goods. And people were having their purchased upholstered and case goods being loaded up for them. The restaurant is large and sort of deep. This way, they placed more windows at its exterior looking toward the port. The prices for the few restaurant things were somewhere between U.K. prices and IKEA prices. The service by the cashier was very friendly. However, when asked if I was an IKEA member, I said that I was and, stateside, a phone number suffices. As can be expected, the phone number did not pull up an account in the U.K. (Well, they also drive on the other side of the road here.) In Canada and Southern Europe, they just shrug as if to say, 'oh, help yourself to a cup of coffee (or tea).' This wasn't a big deal as much as it was a test of cultural norms. Here, they stick to the rules more. (That said, I've never been to an IKEA in Germany, which might be even more interesting.) The food items were okay. The restaurant was comfortable. Customers in the area were well mannered. As I was shuffling around luggage, a younger couple with two kids in tow sort of muttered under their breath to me that one of their kids said that they'd 'sure like to go on that big boat' in the harbor, referring to the cruise ship closest to and more visible from this IKEA's restaurant. They then told me that that's where they were in fact headed ... and that their kids didn't know that just yet! These seemed to be cool people and, most likely, cool parents. I hope they had a nice voyage. That said, that's what stands out the most about this IKEA - its "relationship" with the marine terminals. The rest of it is sort of boilerplate and the way it's propped up isn't as nicely done as with a lot of other stores that are also similarly placed. Hence, it's 3 stars for this store. read more
