Jokes in poor taste lead to a little trivia

[weaktwos]

While gabbing with a friend online, I made the erroneous conclusion that Ikea was from Finland. I'm not sure why, except that I'm quite ignorant about those scandahuvian countries o'er yonder way. So, thanks to that, I now know Ikea started in Sweden. Oddly enough, though Sweden borders Finland, an Ikea store did not open in Finland until 1996. Ikea started in 1958. Stores opened up around the world well before Ikea opened up a store in its neighboring country. Was that because it was close enough to drive into Sweden to shop?

Comments

[brittadotcom.livejournal.com]

perhaps it was a rhyming problem?

IKEA = Sweden
Nokia = Finland
(Ericsson, Volvo, Saab, all Swedish, BTW)

Oddly enough, I can't think of current major Norwegian exports...Ibsen, Grieg, and a-Ha, though... ;)

Possibly, but...

[misterweasel.livejournal.com]

Also quite possible that the Finns aren't really scandinavians. They are one of four Nordic countries, but culturally and linguistically they aren't really scandinavian, as are Norway, Denmark, and Sweden.

[big-ragu.livejournal.com]

not sure if this is the reason, but I do know that Finland is not terribly receptive to capitalism.

Re: Possibly, but...

[weaktwos.livejournal.com]

They've been considered part of "Greater Scandinavia" for the last century.

[weaktwos.livejournal.com]

You might be onto something. They had a very odd cuddly relationship with Russia that limited some of their economic-political behavior. However, if that held them back, they certainly ramped up in the last ten years.

[weaktwos.livejournal.com]

A-Hah! Tee hee.

I loved them in high school...But I only ever owned one album by them, and never bothered to search for more...