A kitchen chair

September 9, 2009 - 11:14 AM by Jessica

This can be filed as an only-in-Israel story. I think. In any case, it goes like this: I’ve been looking for the right kitchen chair for several years now. We’ve been doing just fine with our Esther hand-me-downs, a very common wooden-frame, cushioned seat that is fairly ubiquitous in Israeli homes, but is simple, inexpensive and fairly long-lasting. And now that two of them have highchairs strapped to the seats, and food being smeared all over, I’m not unhappy to be sticking with the hand-me-downs.

However, my mother and I were looking for an outing, and I was thinking that a kitchen chair search could be just the ticket. Remembering that I’d seen chairs that I liked in my local Aroma branch — Emek Refaim in the German Colony — a smooth wooden L that is printed with an image of woven fabric, I decided to ask at Aroma where they’d purchased the chairs. No idea. So I called Aroma headquarters, pressed 1 for customer service and was very surprised to have the phone answered on the first ring by ‘Reuven’ who cheerily greeted me and asked how he could help me. I told him that I had a strange question and he told me that no question I could have would be strange. Hmm. So I asked and he told me to call the franchisee of the Emek Refaim branch, or his manager, and I’d have an answer. I did, and Asi told me that they’d bought the chairs at an all-chair store in Ga’ash, which is a shopping center mecca just north of Tel Aviv, and, incidentally, the first shopping center to be open on Shabbat.

Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the great customer service, and while I do love Aroma, hadn’t expected quite that level of American friendliness and professionalism. So much so, that I used this story as an example of how Israel is sometimes positively influenced by American customs, in a talk I gave to a Birthright group the other night. But back to Aroma and kitchen chairs.

We drove to Ga’ash, and given that Asi didn’t remember the name of the store or its exact location, it took about half an hour and a few false starts before the postmistress of Kibbutz Ga’ash told me that I was looking for a store called Pick-Up, located just across the parking lot from the Ga’ash Hot Springs (which were discovered when the kibbutz was digging for oil, no joke). We got there, maneuvered the stroller in, and found said Aroma chairs as well as a few other options, all currently being considered. There must have been some 500 straight-backed chairs in the store, as well as outdoor seating, in case you’re looking for chairs.

We then went to Aroma for lunch, mostly because it was easy to find– although it would have been more fun to find a different cafe in Rishpon — and as I sat on their plasticized rattan couches with white cushions, I could appreciate just how much Aroma invests in its furnishings, because now I know.

And that, is the end of the story.

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Tags: Aroma, birthright, Gaash, Rishpon • Category: Business, General, Immigrant Moments, Israeliness, Life, design

Comments

3 Comments on A kitchen chair

dorothy steinberg on Wed, Sep 9th 2009 8:17 PM

it is a great story. Wish I could have gone along!!!!!!

Haveil Havalim for Sept. 13 / Elul 24 « on Sun, Sep 13th 2009 7:51 AM

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Ira L on Wed, Sep 23rd 2009 12:37 AM

I lived in Sderot back in 2000-2001. I don’t think I ever received that kind of service. Although, I did have a great Sherut driver named Benny who would pick me up whenever I needed and take me to Tel Aviv. When you live in Sderot, transportation out of Sderot is very important. Keep up the great blog.

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