IKEA’s got live karaoke?

July 5th, 2008, 3:30 pm · Post a Comment · posted by Hang Nguyen, retail reporter

The idea was hatched over margaritas on July 4th.

Six Irvine women who have been friends for two decades decided to slip on their old bridesmaid dresses and borrowed veils and head to the Costa Mesa IKEA on Saturday.

The huge ABBA fans were hoping to snag free movie tickets to “Mamma Mia.” IKEA, which encouraged the wedding clothes, gave away two tickets each to the first 90 people who sang karaoke-style to the film’s soundtrack. The winners get to watch the movie a day before it releases nationwide on July 18.

It’s the first time the retailer – which is honoring its Swedish heritage – is partnering with a movie studio. The musical and now movie are based on songs from Swedish group ABBA.

The ladies, who introduced themselves to the IKEA breakfast crowd as The Girlfriends, were the first ones to try their hand at karaoke.

Had they ever done anything like this before?

“Just on my daughter’s karaoke machine in my own home,” said Cheryl Evans, 45, who wore a long white bridesmaid dress and flip flops.

The gang started off slow and quiet to the song “Mamma Mia” before they belted it out as they swayed to the music.

Many nervous singers took the six women’s cue and teamed up with strangers to sing.

That’s exactly what Dottie Panacek, 82, of Santa Ana did. She got in with a group of four.

Panacek arrived at IKEA at 7 a.m. for the karaoke event that began at 9:45 a.m. She was the first one in a line that stretched to 60 people by 9 a.m.

Does Panacek consider herself a good singer?

“You must be kidding,” she said.

Carol Hernandez, 17, of Westminster was the first person to sing solo.

As she sang “Dancing Queen,” the crowd was in awe of her voice.

“It just turned into ‘American Idol,’” Yvette Rumph, IKEA customer service manager, whispered to a colleague.

After the applause, emcee Jon Smith joked: “She’s going to be signed by IKEA.”

Hernandez said her family came to IKEA for breakfast and shopping when she heard the karaoke singing. Her mom told her she should do it.

Hernandez has been singing songs, including “Dancing Queen,” on her parents’ karaoke machine at home since she was 12.

“I love to sing,” she said.

IKEA tried to drum up sales during the karaoke event by informing guests about store promotions.

IKEA declined to provide sales for its Costa Mesa store. “We’re doing well,” spokeswoman Claudia Sota-Neira said. ”IKEA makes it through tough times because of our low prices. We don’t feel it as much as other furniture retailers.”

The group of six women was at the Orange County store for more than two hours. Did they buy anything from IKEA?

Pam Druding, 55, who showed up in the veil her daughter wore for her wedding, said: “We bought some ice cream cones. That was it.”

(Register photo by Cindy Yamanaka of, from left to right, Irvine residents Lois Marshall, Cheryl Evans and Lois Venanzi. For more photos and to watch a video of the karaoke event, CLICK HERE.)

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