IKEA’s Mänland offers a ‘play space’ for weary husbands

An Australian IKEA store recently tested out the idea of having a “play space” for weary husbands and boyfriends.

Shoppers at IKEA may already be familiar with Småland, the company’s free, supervised in-store play area for kids that lets parents shop in peace. Now, recognizing that many men dislike shopping just as much as kids do, an Australian IKEA store recently tested out the idea of having a similar “play space” for weary husbands and boyfriends. At Sydney’s IKEA Homebush Bay Drive this past weekend, retail-averse men could escape to a male-oriented area of the store for a break from the shopping, according to a report on News Limited. Free hot dogs, Xbox consoles, pinball machines and nonstop sports action on TV could all be had in IKEA’s “Mänland,” as it was called during the four-day trial, while wives or other female shoppers made their way through the store unfettered. The best part of all? Women were reportedly given a buzzer so they wouldn’t forget to collect their male companions when 30 minutes of shopping was done. Just as play areas for kids can enable their parents to spend more time — and, potentially, more money — in the store, it may well be that giving guys a break could do much the same thing. Other retailers around the globe: one to try out on your own clientele?