Ikea officially opens in Merriam

After years of hoping for the possibility and more than a year of construction, the day is finally here for Ikea fans - the Merriam, Kan., store opened Wednesday morning.

In true obsessed-fan fashion, Ikea devotes began lining up more than 24 hours before the store opened and their efforts were rewarded. The first 40 fans in line received a free couch from the Swedish retailer and many others received gift cards for varying amounts.

The Kansas City Star reports the store gave those in line an extra surprise when it opened 20 minutes early, as Ikea employees handed out yellow and blue umbrellas to the early shoppers and the crowd was entertained by face painters, mimes and other performers.

The 359,000-square-foot Merriam store is the 40th in the nation, and its first in Kansas. Ikea recently broke ground on a St. Louis store, which would be the first in Missouri.

Read more from the Kansas City Star.