Furniture for Everyone

By Dody Tsiantar

IKEA, the Swedish home-furnishings giant, is in expansion mode, especially in the U.S. and Russia. Although he is retired, IKEA's founder, Ingvar Kamprad, 78, regularly visits some of the chain's 204 stores in 33 countries. Last month, he talked with TIME's DODY TSIANTAR in the restaurant of the Elizabeth, N.J., store. Some excerpts:

TIME: In the U.S., what has been the biggest challenge for IKEA?

KAMPRAD: To get Americans to lower their ceilings. When we came here 20 years ago, our ready-made curtains were too short.

TIME: You've obviously fixed that problem. Any others?

KAMPRAD: Our competitors have become more and more clever. Last year IKEA opened nine stores in the U.S. and Canada. I believe it is too many. For me, a store is a living thing. It must be developed all the time.

TIME: What's happening globally?

KAMPRAD: We're starting in Russia with huge dreams. We have four stores and a shopping center, but we'll operate in the red for five to 10 years. We can take it, because we don't have [shareholders] coming to us every quarter asking for results. We have an important social mission there. Our [guiding principle] is to produce products for the majority of people. Hopefully, [we will help] the standard of life in Russia rise. In China we have only two stores, but we have lots of land to construct on, so I think we'll be rather big there in five to 10 years.

TIME: Are the products at IKEA the same everywhere?

KAMPRAD: There are 10,000 products in our range; 5,000 are in every store in every country. The rest vary. I'm a little frustrated right now. [He holds up his coffee mug.] I haven't seen this mug in our assortment. I must go see the head of this restaurant. I will hang him if he has bought this mug outside IKEA.

TIME: Is your home furnished with IKEA furniture?

KAMPRAD: Yes, of course.