Creative Loafing interns Hannah Walk and Diana Ruiz visited the line outside IKEA Tampa 48 hours before its May 6 opening. Here's their report — with video after the jump.
How long would you wait in line for a free chair? How about a chair from IKEA? If you’re the first people in line for IKEA’s grand opening, the 65-plus hours spent sleeping on cement and passing the time playing Apples to Apples are well worth it. IKEA officially opens Wednesday, May 6, but for these dedicated fans, the party started early.
Hagen Reams, 19, Shelby Gallo, 19, Justin Gallo, 21, and Ben Dziubek, 20, began their three-day escapade Sunday afternoon, but they’re not complaining. They’ve been passing the time reading Tucker Max’s I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell, feasting on vending machine goodies, and attempting to sleep when news cameras aren’t in their faces.
This article appears in Apr 29 – May 5, 2009.