Share This: Old Images of Philadelphia on Facebook

The charm of Carl Manley’s curation of old Philly photos.

There is a place on Facebook—beyond the endless photos of newborn babies and your annoying friend from high school who updates her status exclusively in ALL CAPS—where something quite interesting is happening.

There Is No “I” in Ikea

I go to Ikea because it makes me feel unique — just like everyone else who shops there

I grew up in my grandmother's house. You may have seen it — it's decorated in the same fashion as every other Italian grandmother-of-a-certain-age's house: French provincial furniture, salmon wall-to-wall carpet and custom-fitted plastic on the couch. The centerpiece is a television, housed in its own carved wood cabinet and given a place of honor, like a prized antique. I made fun of this decor growing up. Often. When I grew up, my house would never look like that. I would be unique! Different! I would have rustic hardwood floors and they would be intentionally scuffed!Then I went to Ikea last weekend and realized life is a cruel joke, sitting on a plastic-wrapped couch.Okay, maybe not a cruel joke, but if you ever thought you might be an individual, Ikea is the best place to remind you that you are absolutely not.