Keeps breaking chairs. What should I do?

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135

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  • jeme3
    jeme3 Posts: 355 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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: 379 Member
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    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
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    "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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    His name isn't Governor Chris Christie is it?
  • 2012asv
    2012asv Posts: 702 Member
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    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
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    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
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    Gotcha... we don't have those in our area

    Oh, I bet good money you do!
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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!

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