My brother is having back problems and I think he needs a new office chair. I could probably use one too (mine’s 10 years old and the stuffing is coming out).
There are so many choices online. Every time I start to search I end up not buying anything because I’d simply feel much better if we could sit in them first before we bought them.
As far as I’ve seen, Office Max and Office Depot and Staples don’t have too much selection in terms of chairs. Just your basic $30-$200 models that don’t have a ton of configuration. I could be wrong - perhaps some locations are better than others.
Where’s a good place where we could go to sit in chairs and test them out before buying? Price isn’t TOO much of a concern, but I also don’t want to pay $800 for chairs that don’t do anything but look nice. Anywhere that has locations in Ohio will do, I suppose.
I bought my office chair at a local professional office furniture company. It was $500 but it’s where my arse is working for 8-12 hours every single day.
I would not recommend trying to buy a chair without sitting in it unless you intend to use it for casual use only. The chairs at the big box stores are not made for daily use.
Any reputable independant office supply store would have nicer office chairs. Here is a yellowpages lookup of office supply in your neighborhood Northeast Ohio.
Now, in this economy, I suggest used Office supply businesses. Many businesses have gone kaput and their high-priced furniture is for sale out there quite cheaply.
I agree with all the others - the only place I’ve found good office furniture is at locally-owned office supply stores.
And I can vouch for the importance of a good chair. I get horrible backaches sitting on cheap chairs. You need something that is solid & can be adjusted. Lumbar support is great. Arms are great.
Expect to pay ~$400 for a good one. It’s worth every penny, though.
I stumbled on an auction of a local business that went kaput. I found it under the garage sales listings on Craigslist. I paid $35 for an chair that easily cost $400 or more. Hydraulic pump for up and down, the back reclines separately from the seat, the arms can be adjusted up and down and it has built in lumbar support. Also picked up a display table used in the retail section and it was perfect for my 42" TV. I paid $3 for it.
Consider a store that specializes in back problems. There’s a store around here called The Healthy Back Store that is a chain; maybe they have a location near you.
Thanks for the suggestions, all. I honestly did not think about actual office supply places. Unfortunately most of the ones I found on yellowpages.com don’t have Web sites and may just be salesmen and a warehouse - who aren’t interested in us buying 2 chairs.
Lots of good options here, I’ll muse over them some more.
Office Furniture USA is a nationwide franchisor of office furniture dealerships. The dealerships are locally owned, but the franchise agreement lets them buy from more than 30 manufacturers, many of whom make office chairs. Every franchise is required to have a showroom of products for the very reason you cite – so you can try something out before buying it.
They have several dealers in Ohio, including Cleveland, Youngstown and Mansfield. Here’s a link to their online catalog: www.ofusaecatalog.com.
Also, because they’re nationwide, they usually have very good prices on the stuff.
