NEWS > BUSINESS > BUILDING LARGER CHAIRS BECOMES GROWTH INDUSTRY

BUILDING LARGER CHAIRS BECOMES GROWTH INDUSTRY

Feb 4 2008

Houston, TX – Everything’s bigger in Texas. That slogan, which has carried the mantle of what it means to be a Texan for years, has always had many meanings. Philosophically, the slogan has been the definition of the rugged man’s man. It has also referred to the wide open cowboy range of the past. More and more recently though, the slogan has taken on a literal meaning, as the state has routinely been classed as the most obese in the U.S.

With big food and big appetites, the U.S. has long been on the forefront of the growing obesity epidemic in the world and Texas, sometimes proudly, has taken over as the leader of that charge. But with weight becoming more and more of a health hazard, people’s attitudes are changing, even in this bigger than everyone else state.

Some though are fighting against this trend and trying to hold on to their heritage. Charles Harron is one of those leading the charge.

Harron furniture has been a staple in the Houston area for decades; Charles is the great grandson of the founder of the company and has run the company with the same Texan verve as his ancestors.

“Fundamentally, we haven’t changed what we do. All our furniture is hand crafted. We’ve never given in to the Ikea’s of the world. There’s still a demand for original quality work,” says Harron.

It is that originality that has led them to their most recent product. Extra wide chairs.

“I got sick of trying to squeeze into chairs,” says Harron, who by his own account weighs 450 pounds. “The world isn’t built for big people. I figured it was time to take it back for us. Our chairs are double wide and reinforced to support people easily over 600 pounds.”

Harron was inspired after breaking a number of chairs at his own home. “I also found these bruises on my side and realized it was me trying to squeeze into a way too small chair. I decided to create a solution rather than just live with things the way they were.”

And the sales seem to indicate he is on to something. Since introducing the new line of chairs they have quickly become his best seller. In fact the company has built up a significant backorder on the new chairs, which they are working hard to remedy.

“It’s become our best selling new product line ever. It just shows how much of a need there is to help out people of different sizes.”

The line has been without its critics though. An editorial in the local paper took the chairs, and Harron himself, to task stating that the new line of chairs would only encourage further obesity.

Harron scoffs at such criticism. “Do we eliminate Braille to try and get blind people to see? Of course not. It’s important for all people to be able to sit comfortably, no matter how large or small you are. These chairs are our effort to prevent us from being pigeon holed. You can’t try to fit a square peg into a round hole.”

Or, it seems, a fat guy into a skinny chair.

William Ashford, Business Correspondent

NEWS > BUSINESS > BUILDING LARGER CHAIRS BECOMES GROWTH INDUSTRY

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