Ikea

Three floors arranged in rings, around elevators and escalators in the middle. Parking is insane, but this Ikea is much better arranged inside than others in the area. Some of the furniture is actually worth keeping. Bright, colorful, and cheap children’s furniture handles well their destructive tendencies. Their storage solutions are much cheaper than The Container Store’s, and therefore better for large projects (like a room full of LEGO:).

This was the highlight of my most recent trip to Chicago. Shopped all day, had a lunch of meatballs and lingonberries, got out of there with a carload for less than $500. Just knowing this place exists with its design for everyone aesthetic and progressive policies puts my weary mind at ease. All the furniture snobs can bite me, IKEA is the real deal and I’m going back!

This is the closest Ikea to my house, and it is loads of fun to visit. Three floors of random, cheap, stylish stuff. You can even walk through their designed rooms (and be a little jealous).