Brooks Corning

I often struggle with competing voices in my head — usually the logical, ‘form-​follows-​function’ and ‘efficiency-​above-​all-​else’ voice side (a.k.a. ‘Pragmatic Johnson’) argues with the narcissistic, prima donna, chic ‘style-​over-​substance’ voice (a.k.a. ‘Metrosexual Johnson’).
‘PJ’ worships Teddy Roosevelt — ‘MJ’ worships Kanye West. PJ wants a Omega Railmaster ‘watch’ with the steel bracelet — MJ wants an IWC Portuguese ‘timepiece’ with the crocodile band. You want PJ to do your taxes — you want MJ help you pick out shoes. PJ drives a Subaru — MJ wants a vintage Lancia Stratos. PJ sits on a milkcrate and drinks out of a paper cup — MJ wants to be sitting in a RL-​CF1 and drinking from Riedel crystal. PJ reads up combinatorial game theory and wishes he was smarter — PJ ‘reads’ The Sartorialist and HighSnobiety and gets body concious.
Usually, PJ is the dominant voice — but MJ is (appropriately) the man when sneaker hunting. Shopping for something as drab as office furniture should be a job for PJ, right? Umm… not really…
I went to Brooks Corning due to some ‘hookup’ prices on Haworth furniture. The showroom isn’t cheap (especially considering it borders Yaletown — between a Mini and an Apple store no less) but considering the brand reputation and obvious quality, it’s reasonable. Salesperson was helpful and friendly showing me all the features and with the bargain price I was offered, PJ was happy to pounce on the deal. I went to confirm my order — that’s when things got ugly…
The salesperson asked me if I decided on my materials and fabric. PJ insisted we wanted all black everything but MJ wanted to look at the swatches. PJ wanted to keep everything on budget but as soon as MJ saw there were polished aluminum and gunmetal legs on offer — the battle was quickly decided.
Before you know it MJ was flipping through Paul Smith fabric samples pondering things like ‘cerulean’, ‘sheen’, ‘herringbone’, ‘aubergine’, ‘clash’ and ‘ember’. PJ was left for dead and MJ was getting his full fruit on.
The pragmatist in me says to go here to get quality, modular office furniture so you can do work: «Fabric? You mean upholstery? Ya, just give me whatever is easiest to clean coffee stains and Cheetos dust off of.» The metrosexual in me says this joint has a staggering amount of fabric and options — and you can walk deeper into Yaletown for your Cosmos and mud mask treatment.