the dining room table

…so 8 weeks ago I ordered a dining room table on-line.  It was supposed to be delivered this week and I got a call from the company asking for my new credit card info because my old credit card had been suspected of fraud (well the actual card itself wasn’t suspected of fraud) as the credit card company thought it might have been stolen because there was so much charged on it–an unusual pattern to say the least.  And they were right.  Not about the fraud, but about the unusual pattern of spending.  But I did it.  Not a thief. Recarpeted the new house; painted the entire house (ok I had the entire house painted), did plumbing and electrical work etc. etc. They (the credit card company) just automatically closed my account and sent me a new card.  Aren’t they (the credit card companies) supposed to call you first and ask you those secret questions like, “what is your mother’s maiden name?”  and “what was your grammar school’s name?” and “what was the last purchase you made using this card?”  But no, my credit card company just canceled my card without asking and sent me a new one so imagine my surprise when I opened up the envelope and there was this totally brand new card.  So anyways, when I had originally ordered the dining room table, I had used my OLD credit card BEFORE it was canceled.  But since it took so LONG for the GD thing to come, my OLD credit card had been canceled by the time it came to deliver (or so I thought–key the ominous “Jaws” music here) the table, so the dining room table company called me about my card not going through.  SO, I gave them the number on my new card and they said something about the warehouse calling me in a few days to deliver my table. A few days after this conversation, I check my email and I see the following email from Andrew M. at Dining Rooms direct:

Hello Anne,

I am emailing you in regards to your order. I am sorry to inform you but all these items have been discontinued besides the table. I am extremely sorry for this. This order will need to be canceled, or replaced with a whole different set. Please advise with what you would like to do.

Kindly,

Andrew M.

Now, you can imagine that this did not make me happy, as we had been waiting over 8 weeks for the GD table to arrive and had been sitting on our OLD dining room chairs at a granite counter top three times higher than the old dining room chairs were designed to be used with.  We all have to have rotator cuff surgery from having to lift our arms so high and up over the edge of the counter top to try to scrape the food off our plates.

So, this was my response to Andrew M:

Dear Andrew M.,

Are you f$#%@&$*($ kidding me?!  I ordered this over 8 weeks ago!  Couldn’t someone have told me THEN that the table was discontinued?!  And why was it still on your website?!  You guys are MORONS!  I certainly hope my credit cards (either one of them) haven’t been charged!!!  Please advise.

Anne Maxfield

I’m still waiting on Andrew….

Am I insane yet?!

I went to the post office the other day to pick up some new antique watch fobs that were being mailed to me by an antique store outside St. Louis. I also went to mail a package to my sister. I’m waiting in line FOREVER at one of the two open windows. The customer in front of me is mailing about 75,000 letters. Then, finally, it’s my turn. AND THE WOMAN LOOKS AT ME AND CLOSES THE WINDOW!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHH. Don’t you just HATE when that happens? Ok, so finally I get waited on, get the Circa 1856 packages and fill out the certified letter form for the package that I am mailing to my sister. The PO woman goes–”her address here. Yours there”–pointing to the boxes I was to fill in. I blindly fill the boxes in and pay the $25.73 to mail the package to Mary and then I leave. Fast forward to yesterday afternoon. Doorbell rings. It’s the mail man with a certified package and he needs my signature. I sign and look down at the package wondering what it is. It looks familiar. It looks familiar because IT’S SAME PACKAGE I MAILED TO MY SISTER. WHY? you ask. Because I mailed the GD thing to MYSELF!!! What a moron. So, now I’m out $25.73 AND have to go back to the Post Office, stand in line, pay $25.73 and mail the damn thing AGAIN!!!! Am I an idiot or what??!? At least I got some killer vintage pieces and have already fashioned some into new products. They’ll be on the Circa1856.com site soon.

Circa 1856 Update

Hey Everyone,

Just wanted to let you know that there are lots of new necklaces on the Circa1856.com site. Check ‘em out and let me know what you think. Are there any requests out there for a certain kind of necklace or custom made pieces just for you or a loved one? Sign on and let me know. I love suggestions!!

Thanks!

Anne

Chicago 2010 Showcase

Circa1856 recently participated in the 2010 Chicago Showcase, a celebration of Chicago and its artisans, held at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza held on November 12th.

The evening included cocktails with models among the crowd displaying clothing and jewelry available for purchase from local artisans. Following the cocktail hour, where the fashion and artisanal communities converged, a fashion show commenced where many of the designers were able to see their clothing on the runway stage for the first time.

Immediately following the fashion show were sweets and shopping with some of Chicago’s social and philanthropic leaders who particularly love custom designs.

Thank you to Marsha Brenner from the Apparel Industry Board for putting this unique event together!

Circa 1856 had its first show!

Circa1856 recently participated in the Gastrointestinal Research Foundations annual meeting held at the Four Seasons Hotel, in downtown Chicago.

Over 200 attendees were present at the event, and Circa1856 held its inaugural show to a responsive crowd, resulting in a successful show for the line.

Welcome to our Blog and Comments Page!

We’ll be responding to your questions and comments here, as well as keeping you up to date on new acquisitions and more.

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