Not Waiting on IKEA Anymore!!!!! A weight of anticipation was heavy in the air; a significant event was due to mark a massive turning point for Ballymun and North County Dublin. The opening of IKEA brought with it a carnival atmosphere. The fast music, fast dancing, and the strong beat of Samba drums tried to capture the importance of the moment, but it was the roar of the crowd that did it best. IKEA!! IKEA!! IKEA!! Balloons and flags were frantically waving as the crowd built up for more. Prizes were given to those who waited the longest, 4:00pm the previous day, for the best dressed, those who shouted the most, there were prizes and prizes galore!!!!

Ballymun crowds	Ballymun crowds
Ballymun crowds	Ballymun crowds

Finally it was here the moment of complete celebration, the official log cutting ceremony began, Ciaran Murray (BRL) and Gerry Deakin (IKEA) held either side of a large saw and began to cut at pace, the log fell in two, IKEA Ballymun was opened !!!. Samba Drums rang out as the first customers started to file through the doors. New customers were greeted by the IKEA Family that flanked both sides of the entrance hall. The bright smiley faces of children were amazed at the magic that was spilling into the air. Face painters, mime artists, fancy dress, balloon artists and high stilt walkers added to the magic of the occasion and carnivalesque atmosphere. As the Samba drums beat the crowds rolled through the doors!!!

Dancers mark the event.	Everybody happy!
Samba drums.	Big opening.

Inside it was a consumers delight, crche facilities, food courts and bargains galore the shoppers packed the one way IKEA flow system, exploring the many high quality and competitively priced products on offer. For some it was not such a new experience I remember the opening in Belfast that was great aswell they knew what direction to go in order to get the best possible offers. For the novices it was an adventure, furiously writing down codes and prices, taking measurements and matching colours this would look great in the kitchen, Declan as another code was written down and the shopping bill began to rise once more.

Inside the store.	More opening celebration.
Waiting for the customers.	The first customers get ready to go through the doors.

Approximately 15,000 people filed through the door on the opening day of IKEA Ballymun, shoppers thronged both into, and out of the car park. Trolleys being shuttled across the car park, heavily laden with new home furniture purchases, it was truly a shopper delight.

The IKEA Ballymun store opening at 11:00am on the 27th July 2009, it made the Celtic Tiger Roar once more.

Gerard Mc Loughlin of BWAP with one of the event hosts.	Staff guard of honour.

Log cutting official opening.	Top fo the morning!
IKEA car.

For more information contact Gerard McLoughlin, Enterprise Development Executive, gerard@ballymun.org 01 582 39522.