When you go to Ikea, there’s more to think about than funny Scandinavian names and meatballs. Did you know, for example, that the Ikea catalogue now rivals the Bible in terms of copies printed annually?
The founder of Ikea, Ingvar Kamprad, started the business when he was 17 years old. He is dyslexic, and is an admitted alcoholic. His personal fortune is estimated to be either $28 billion (Forbes) or $53 billion (German T-Online.)
Kamprad is a notorious cheapskate, I mean he’s unusually frugal. He drives an old Volvo and always flies economy class. He “encourages” his employees to write on both sides of a paper. I once had a boss who made us reuse the same teabag several times, but that’s a whole different story.
In 1994, it was revealed that Kamprad had been a recruiter and fundraiser for a pro-Nazi group, up until September 1945. He’s really sorry, though, and he’d still like you to buy KLIPPAN, DUKTIG, GUTVIK and EKTORP.
I have a POANG and I think maybe some KLIPPAN, too. I am always tempted by FLYGEL but have never bought one. My favorite IKEA name – no longer available, sadly – was a little desk on wheels called a FARTFULL.
It is all a bunch of cheap shit, but sometimes I am a cheap bastard, too.
Yeah, well, me too. I have EKTORP.