NEW YORK -- The first New York City area IKEA opened Wednesday morning at 9:00 a.m. in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

The opening began with a log-sawing ceremony, a Swedish tradition meant to bring good luck.

The 346,000-square-foot Brooklyn store features 50 different room displays and a supervised children’s play area. A 450-seat restaurant looks out on the Statue of Liberty and a waterfront sidewalk.

A crowd of customers, some who had been camped outside the store as early as 9 a.m. Monday, received free furnishings, including $400 couches and $100 armchairs. The first 100 children walked away with free red, heart-shaped cushions.

There has been controversy about the store’s opening in the residential neighborhood of Red Hook. Covering over 20 acres along the Erie Basin waterfront, neighbors fear significant change in its area due to the influx of customers.

The store will continue giveaways until the weekend is finished. Customers can win one of 1000 tropical plants on Thursday and Friday. Visitors can enter a drawing between Wednesday and Sunday for ten $1000 IKEA gift cards that will be randomly drawn on Sunday, June 29.

Shuttles to and from the Smith & Ninth, Fourth Ave., Court Street and Borough Hall subway stations are offered by IKEA. The store is also on the B77 and B61 city bus lines.

IKEA has 34 other locations in the U.S. Those around New York City are in Elizabeth and Paramus, N.J., and in Hicksville on Long Island.