Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Welcome To My New Adirondack Chairs...

A few weeks ago I decided to get some new Adirondack chairs for my little treehouse terrace. I wanted wood, and I wanted something I didn't have to assemble. Well, zero one out of two isn't bad. On Sunday I set out on my quest to find the perfect chairs. Just as I had given up all hope, I stumbled into Home Depot, and collapsed into a display chair -- et voila! there they were -- exactly the chairs I wanted. I asked the clerk how much they were, and the price was fairly reasonable. My next question was, "Do I have to assemble them?"

"Nope," she replied. "You just have to take them out of the box and unfold them..."

What could be more perfect? Sold...!

Why did I believe her? When I opened the boxes, the chairs were in several pieces, with instructions on how to assemble them, and a list of equipment required. By the way, what is a ring spanner?

I called the store and asked if I could return the chairs and have my money refunded. I said I had purchased the chairs specifically on the condition that I was not required to assemble them.

As fast as you can say "Adirondack", two representatives of Home Depot were at my door, offering to pick up the chairs, take them back to Home Depot and assemble them, and deliver them back to me in the finished condition. After much to and fro, and a credit offered to me for my trouble, I am in possession of the assembled chairs, and they're ready to be used. Now, if only we would get some spring weather so I could power wash the deck and landscape my terrace. I guess I'll use my credit at Home Depot to buy some bedding plants. Right now I'm fighting with the squirrels for the last of their peanut stash in my planter boxes. But they'd better not sit on my chairs, the little b*ggers.

Oh, and by the way, the chairs are not wood. You'd never guess, wood would you?

28 comments:

heartinsanfrancisco said...

I love Adirondack chairs - they bespeak gentler times with straw hats and daisies draped on them. And no, I would never have guessed that they were not wood. Enjoy them!

(Home DESPOT impresses me, too. I had no idea they would do that. Maybe I should start calling them by their right name.)

myletterstoemily said...

great chairs and funny story. sorry
you had to go through the trouble.

why do we ever believe those guys?

Charles Gramlich said...

Lovely. But how do they sit?

Marguerite said...

What a great find! I adore Adirondack chairs and have been looking for some for my patio. Home Depot here I come! They sure do look like real wood and are so nice. And what great service, too. Guess it pays to speak up once in a while! :)

Owen said...

So if they're not wood, what would they be ???

At least they came and helped you out with the assembly, a fine gesture after the salesperson got the info wrong... amazing the situations we sometimes find ourselves in when we buy something. I ofter fear the worst, usually rightly so...

Teri said...

Those are some sweet looking chairs! I'd love to have some...only hubby says they are too hard for his rump. Men!

roxanne s. sukhan said...

Perhaps if they were wood, they'd be less able to withstand the elements.

A spanner is a wrench, isn't it?

I seem to have an attitude that is allergic to box stores like Home Depot and the like, where sales pitch = BS.

lovelyprism said...

Seems like I'm always playing "catch-up". I read several of your posts tonight, I could read your writing for days on end Jo! You never fail to entertain me. God rest your lovely friend, God bless Rembrandt and may God bless you with a nice sunny day very soon. xoxo

Sam Liu said...

The moral of this story is: never trust the Home Depot staff :D, those chairs look wonderful, here's hoping you get some good use out of them!

Firefly the Travel Guy said...

These chairs always look so uncomfortable, but in actual fact sits very nicely. Good on you for not just taking it as it was. As for the squirrels, they can sit as long as they don't leave their business cards.

the walking man said...

But do they fold up. A ring spanner is what old folks and not British peoples call a wrench. Box wrench, open box wrench or just plain old thingy that fits that nut.

Vanessa said...

Oh no, I WOOD never have guessed.

kenju said...

I am on my way there now - I love the look of those!

DJan said...

I have also not been enamoured with Home Depot, but this story might make me change my mind. The chairs are just right, too!

Brenda said...

Love them. I would not have known they were not real wood. Real wood is a pain to keep up in our weather. Been there done that. I have always been happy with Lowes also. I really need some new furniture. May check those out.

The Bug said...

We had frost this morning so I know what you mean about the weather.

I love those chairs! Wonder if I can talk Dr. M into getting some. Hmmm...

Rosaria Williams said...

I'm thrilled that Home Depot sprung to action on your behalf. I too love Adirondack chairs. Enjoy them.

amourissima said...

I am a huge customer service advocate and I am delighted that they went out of their way (by today’s standards) to make you happy- fantastic!

The chairs are great too!

Sniffles and Smiles said...

Oh, they are beautiful!!! And Adirondack chairs are so comfy...Home Depot gave you wonderful customer service...I'm thoroughly impressed! You are a wonderful story teller, you know. This was fun to read! Love, Janine XO

Anonymous said...

LOL. Home Depot is great! I love that store and shop there at least once a month.

Now, all you need is a tall glass of iced tea!!!

Paula Slade said...

Nice chairs (I bet the squirrels are lounging on them whenever you are gone. LOL!)and what terrific service Home Depot provided! Are the chairs a wood composite or plastic? I would never have guessed they were not the real thing.

Whitney Lee said...

Gorgeous! And not real wood means less maintenance...

I'd be happy to kick back and relax in those:)

Nancy said...

Well it sounds like Home Depot made good. Wow.

No you would never know they are not wood. And no worrying about them splintering!

Smalltown RN said...

I love those chairs....great choice...and kudos to Home Depot to rising to the occassion and coming through with flying colours....

Jo said...

Susan, I can hardly wait to sit outside with a big glass of lemonade -- and maybe a straw hat with daisies on it. :-) Great idea!

Lea, I'll know better next time. :-)

Charles, they're very comfortable!

Marguerite, they're called EON and they're wonderful and very comfortable!

Owen, oh, goodness yes. There was no way I could put them together, and in fact even the fellow assembling them had difficulties.

Teri, you can put some lovely cushions on them. They're actually quite comfortable.

Roxanne, I'm allergic to big box stores too, but I fell in love with those chairs. *heh*

Charlene, aw... thank you! How are you doing? Let me know how you are. :-)

Sam, well, all's well that ends well, and it seemed to work out okay in the end. :-)

Firefly, yes, I can hardly wait for summer, so I can sit outside with a cold lemonade -- or a cold drink of some sort. ;-)

Mark, thank you. *heh* Whatever a ring spanner is, I didn't have one.

Nes, *heh, heh*

Kenju, you will love them. They're wonderful!

DJan, I'm not a big fan of Home Depot either, but these chairs are just purrrrfect. :-)

Brenda, these look like real wood, but they won't weather like real wood. Yay!

Bug, take him to Home Depot and have him sit in one. He'll love them. :-)

Lakeviewer, I was amazed at the good service I received from Home Depot. Who knew!

Amourissima, yes, I was quite impressed with their customer service. AND I received a credit for my trouble. Goodness!

Janine, thank you. :-) Now all we need is some warm weather so I can sit outdoors and enjoy them.

Gigihawaii, yes! I have the pitcher all ready, and the chairs are waiting. Now we need some sunshine. :-)

Paula, the chairs are plastic. I am not a big fan of plastic, but I thought they looked wonderful, and they don't scratch or weather.

Whitney, c'mon over. I'll pour you a big glass of cold lemonade. :-)

Nancy, splintering! Yes, I hadn't thought of that. No splintering. :-)

Mary Anne, I was pleasantly surprised at Home Depot's service. Who knew! :-)

Russell said...

They sure look like wood to me! Are you sure??! Okay, okay.... but, wow! They sure look like wood!!

Better get the word out to those woodpeckers -- one of them might get hurt!

Wolynski said...

Don't get me started with assembling... At what point do they give you an axe and point you to the nearest wood?

Every store should give you an option to sell it in boxes or assembled. If it's that easy, it shouldn't be a problem for them to do it right there on the spot.

Why did they have to take the chairs back to the store to assemble them? Couldn't they just do it on your deck?

Ruth W. said...

The only thing better than an Adirondack chair is an Adirondack rocker, and I have one. My summers are spent in that chair reading a book rocking away.

However my hammock seems to be calling me more these days..lol