Keeps breaking chairs. What should I do?

2

Replies

  • Rachlmale
    Rachlmale Posts: 640 Member
    I think you're being sizeist in not raising it as an issue... if a skinny guy kept coming into your store and breaking stuff, you would charge him.
  • knwitall
    knwitall Posts: 420 Member
    Tell him that he can not come back until he pays for the broken chairs and if he breaks anymore he'll have to pay for them too. I mean he did break them so he should have to replace them. Also suggest that he buys or helps pays for a sturdy chair for him to use. I know it's got be embarrassing for him to keep breaking chairs.
  • jimpoleshuk
    jimpoleshuk Posts: 2 Member
    It's awsome you run a gamming shop!
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    Honestly, I think you should ask the guy to bring his own chair. I think it's quite inconsiderate of him to have broken 4 of your expensive chairs without feeling any sense of responsibility. It might be the wakeup call that he needs to make some changes.
  • magj0y
    magj0y Posts: 1,911 Member
    Not a game shop, a gaming shop. People don't go their too just (or not at all) buy a game. Depending on the type of gaming shop, there are tables for people to play multi-person games together at or computers to play games on. People go there to play games in the store.

    Gotcha... we don't have those in our area
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    neverstray has a good point...you may want to seek out some legal advice on this one
  • EmilyOfTheSun
    EmilyOfTheSun Posts: 1,548 Member
    Move the arms closer together so he can't get his fat *kitten* into it

    HAHAHAHAHA!!
  • Jersey_Devil
    Jersey_Devil Posts: 4,142 Member
    I run a gaming shop. I have mentioned this before, so don't switch off! This is my problem.

    I have a regular gamer who is 6' 4'', he is also very overweight, so far he has broken 4 of my chairs. He broke 2 wooden folding chairs, a solid metal padded conference style chair and a solid office swivel chair. These chairs aren't cheap chairs, they are good quality and I've not had one broken before. We have other large gamers and they haven't broken anything.

    How do I deal with this without sounding like I am being size-ist?

    Honestly- just tell him if he breaks any more chairs he is going to have to pay to replace them. You think you are the only person he is doing this to? He is well aware of his problem
  • Jersey_Devil
    Jersey_Devil Posts: 4,142 Member
    I'd probably not bring it up to his face to avoid losing a customer. Maybe try getting a bench put in like the person above says...

    i say lose the customer. he is costing the OP money
  • DoomCakes
    DoomCakes Posts: 806 Member
    First- Why tune out because you work in a game shop? That's freaking AWESOME! Your place of employment does not ruin you as a person.

    Second- Well, there's really no NICE way to go about it. But you could invest in a chair with a higher weight limit, or perhaps a bench like stated before. Just make sure if you opt for a bench it has full support because if he sat in the middle it could snap.

    You would think that he would be a bit embarassed about breaking chairs and maybe do something. But you have no say over that, if he's a regular and talks to you though maybe you could start slipping in words about how you're working on your fitness and you're on this great site.
  • jeme3
    jeme3 Posts: 355 Member
    It's not a size issue, at all.

    "Hi, you've broken four of my chairs. You haven't given me any new chairs. If you'd like to sit down in my establishment, you must bring your own chair or replace the chairs that you have destroyed. You are welcome in my store and are a vibrant part of the community we've built here. I like you personally and as a customer. Please stop breaking my things!"


    Perfect.
  • jesusHchris
    jesusHchris Posts: 1,405 Member
    Tell him he is only allowed to play games like Michael Jackson Kinnect and Dance Dance revolution. Feed him sprouts and rice cakes.
  • LavaDoll
    LavaDoll Posts: 595 Member
    as a business owner, you should have accommodations for the public: thin, heavy, in wheelchairs, etc.

    and the prior post on liability is valid.

    invest in at least one, but ideally several, chairs rated for higher weights, and privately direct this dude and your other patrons to use them if you feel there will be any issues.

    if some twiggy kid is in the chair when this dude arrives, tell the kid to scram! - nobody sits in the king's chair but the king.
  • ARDuBaie
    ARDuBaie Posts: 378 Member
    If you don't already have one, put up a sign of shop policies, one of these should be customers have to pay for any broken items (i.e. displays, furniture, etc.). If he breaks more furniture, politely point out the policies. A gaming shop I used to go to had a problem with young kids horsing around and breaking stuff, so they implemented something similar, it took care of the problem--this situation is obviously somewhat different, but might work.

    This ^

    The thing is that his size is the issue and that issue is over-flowing onto you. He needs to be responsible for the damage that comes from his being overweight. I would address it with him. You cannot recoup the cost of the previous furniture if you never posted that broken furniture must be paid for by the the person who broke it. So you need to do two things: 1. tactfully address the problem to him and tell him that in the future he will have to pay for any broken chairs and 2) post a sign saying that furniture /equipment broken by users must be paid for by the person who broke it.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    "Sorry about this, but I'm going to have to charge you for repairs if you break any more chairs. Would you be more comfortable if you brought in a chair of your own and I can keep it out back for you?"

    No mention of size.
  • ekz13
    ekz13 Posts: 725 Member
    1 - way too cool that you have a gaming shop (i'm sure its every geeks dream here )

    2 - I'd pull him aside and explain that chairs aren't free, and that you are making REASONABLE effort to accomodate the customer, but he's not helping you, help him.
  • NoMoreFlubbering
    NoMoreFlubbering Posts: 95 Member
    as a business owner, you should have accommodations for the public: thin, heavy, in wheelchairs, etc.

    and the prior post on liability is valid.

    invest in at least one, but ideally several, chairs rated for higher weights, and privately direct this dude and your other patrons to use them if you feel there will be any issues.

    if some twiggy kid is in the chair when this dude arrives, tell the kid to scram! - nobody sits in the king's chair but the king.

    I like the last part. Makes him feel awesome and gets the twiggy kid back into a twiggy chair instead of the huge guy.
  • Jersey_Devil
    Jersey_Devil Posts: 4,142 Member
    Also- tell him he can't go #2 in your bathroom cause you don't want to pay for plumbing bills too.
  • meeka472
    meeka472 Posts: 283 Member
    It's not a size issue, at all.

    "Hi, you've broken four of my chairs. You haven't given me any new chairs. If you'd like to sit down in my establishment, you must bring your own chair or replace the chairs that you have destroyed. You are welcome in my store and are a vibrant part of the community we've built here. I like you personally and as a customer. Please stop breaking my things!"

    ^^This!

    Sorry but the guy broke four of your chairs. At this point you need to have a conversation with him so that he doesn't break anymore. He is aware of his size and after four chairs he should know that he can't sit in them without breaking them. It's time to have a conversation with this guy.
  • Jersey_Devil
    Jersey_Devil Posts: 4,142 Member
    His name isn't Governor Chris Christie is it?
  • 2012asv
    2012asv Posts: 702 Member
    I don't think there's anyway that you can tell him "Dude, stop putting your butt on my chairs and breaking them." without sounding like a size-ist.

    Perhaps pull him off to the side and come up with a solution together. I'm sure it's an embarrassing situation for him as well. And I'd just say "Look, I know there's no good way to say this, so please, try not to be offended. But we need to come up with a solution for the broken chairs. What do you think?"

    agree...
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    Policies are a good point.

    Seek legal cousel for your area. You may be able to put up at sign that says, "At your own risk" which might alleviate some of the risk of this guy getting hurt. Remember though, anyone can sue for anything, so nothing is 100%, but a local lawyer should know the state and county laws, and they will also help you around what you are required to do, like do you really need to accomodate this guy or not? this is an interesting problem.

    I knew a lady who had a photography studio that was upstairs. She just leased the sapce. She got her *kitten* sued off for not having wheel chair access. It's not her building. But, because it's her business, she is respionsible to ensure that when she opens a business, it has wheel chair access. There are some really crazy laws that defy all logic. You really should seek legal help with this.
  • kaisawheel
    kaisawheel Posts: 15 Member
    Gotcha... we don't have those in our area

    Oh, I bet good money you do!
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    Had this issue at a place I worked and the owner got sued because he wasn't using commercial grade chairs. You may want to invest in some chairs that can hold Comic Book Guy, because even if you get this current fatso to stop breaking your chairs, some other fatso could easily come in, break a chair and sue you.
  • crazyellybean
    crazyellybean Posts: 999 Member
    You would think he would be embarrassed enough not to come back...

    Maybe politely tell him that you can't afford to keep replacing the chairs, maybe offer another type of chair for him for when he come in... I would defiantly bring it up to him and tell him it's a problem!
  • Francesca3162
    Francesca3162 Posts: 520 Member
    I'd come at this from a liability point of view. If he breaks a chair, it falls apart, and he hurts himself, he can sue you. You need to face him and have a talk. He can't bring his own chair because that's a liability issue too. He's still on your property in your store and could sue your *kitten* off. Id be careful here. I would look for a specific chair for him that is rated for heavy people, and let him know that that's his chair, if it's worth it to you. If not, tell him he can't come to your store because he is costing you more money than it is worth, and it's a uge laibility.

    You need to really address this issue. It could really get bad. i don't want to see you in the papers losing your bsuiness and maybe having to protect yourself from a million dlooar lawsuit. i can already see it. the judge is like, "How many times did this happen? and you didn't really do anything about it, so the 5th time, the chair break in such a way that a piece of the chair stabs his *kitten*, and he falls on his back and now is in traction, and you thought it was ok to just do nothing? Judgement is for the Plantiff for $5,000,000 in punitive damages plus all medical costs."
    Dude, seriously. this is a big deal.

    ^^^^ THIS^^^
    its your livelihood.. and your risk.. Mitigate it!!!
  • MidlifeGlowUp
    MidlifeGlowUp Posts: 91 Member
    It's not a size issue, at all.

    "Hi, you've broken four of my chairs. You haven't given me any new chairs. If you'd like to sit down in my establishment, you must bring your own chair or replace the chairs that you have destroyed. You are welcome in my store and are a vibrant part of the community we've built here. I like you personally and as a customer. Please stop breaking my things!"

    Where's your store?

    Ditto this.
  • kel665
    kel665 Posts: 401 Member
    It's not a size issue, at all.

    "Hi, you've broken four of my chairs. You haven't given me any new chairs. If you'd like to sit down in my establishment, you must bring your own chair or replace the chairs that you have destroyed. You are welcome in my store and are a vibrant part of the community we've built here. I like you personally and as a customer. Please stop breaking my things!"

    Where's your store?


    Sounds good to me. He must be so embarrassed but he must also realize that he has broken your property and is obligated to replace it or pay for repairs.
  • Ivyzmama
    Ivyzmama Posts: 108 Member
    Brylane Home catalog makes extra-sturdy chairs for people up to 400 pounds and they're not too expensive. Google "Bryland Home" and check them out.
  • TheMommyWifeLife
    TheMommyWifeLife Posts: 194 Member
    Post a break it you buy it sign on the door. If you do memberships, make everyone sign a contract stating that if they break it they buy it. Also, if you do do contracts, then make everyone sign a release agreeing to it as soon as they come into your business, then keep their signed release on file so you have proof and if he doesnt pay, take him to court.

    This way, you are fair to EVERYONE, plus if someone else breaks something you can get it resolved easily as well!