It's been over 30 years since Manchester shoppers got their first taste of renowned furniture retailer IKEA.
Set up by Ingvar Kamprad in 1948, the Swedish brand opened its first-ever UK store in Warrington on October 1, 1987 - and for years has welcomed thousands of shoppers travelling from across Manchester, Liverpool and further afield.
The flat-pack furniture maze has, over time, become the place where couples have argued over who will assemble their new wardrobe, where kids have begged for Swedish meatballs, and where parents have kitted their teenagers out before they leave the nest for student accommodation.
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With so much to choose from, it's unlikely that you've never got lost following the endless IKEA trail - or stuck strictly to your shopping list - inevitably leaving with more items then you initially budgeted for.
The retailing giant was an instant hit with his concept of stylish, affordable, ready-to-assemble furniture and homewares.
The IKEA Warrington building was completed at Gemini Retail Park in May 1987, and, in the weeks afterwards, the store began to recruit staff for the October opening.
The signature room set layouts and furniture displays were a feature from day one - the earliest included a POEM chair and stool, a two seater sofa with a snazzy print and a classic wood dining set.
When the staff arrived at 5am on opening day, the car park was already full with customers eager to visit the store. Some had even been camping outside for 72 hours before, as the first 50 customers could have a sofa for £25.
Before long, going round to a friend's house was like entering an IKEA catalogue. You could find yourself drinking a cup of tea from the same style mug or glancing up at the same poster as you sat on the same sofa you bought just days before.
And the brand's popularity hasn't dwindled since those early days, with IKEA Warrington attracting hordes of shoppers, especially at weekends.
In the late eighties and early 90s, before soft play centres were everywhere, IKEA endeared itself to kids with a ball pit at the front of the store - and the chance to sit on every chair and lie on every bed before a trip to the cafe.
The success of IKEA Warrington paved the way for other stores in locations such as London, Glasgow, Milton Keynes, Belfast, Birmingham and Cardiff and of course, Ashton-under-Lyne.
But some things haven't changed. A trip to the store can still feel like a day's work in itself - until you return home, take out the screws and the brackets, and it dawns on you that the real hard work is yet to begin.
And there's still no better way to end a hard day's shopping than with a steaming plate of Swedish meatballs, chips, peas, sauce, and lots of lingonberry jam.
Do you remember when Ikea first opened? Let us know in the comments section below.
