IKEA, the Swedish furniture shop whose name sounds more suitable for an American radio station, opened its gigantic furniture shop in Causeway Bay yesterday.
To encourage the punters on their first day, it had a competition. The first 100 people through the doors would be given special keys, only one of which would open a magic door into a room full of IKEA furniture worth $50,000, which of course they could keep.
The winner was a woman called Brenda, who is about to get married.
If she and her husband are moving into a new flat, the prize is just what they need. If they are moving into a flat already inhabited by one set of their parents, then she may have a serious marital crisis before she even ties the knot.
Husband: ''Exactly where are we going to put all this blasted furniture?'' But the queuees were the most interesting part of the business. Although most were Chinese, a surprisingly high number, particularly of those who had queued very early, were Filipinas, who by and large have a reduced need for furniture.
Our theory: some people fancied the furniture but didn't fancy the early morning. So they sent their amah.