An amazing event

[Aerol]

I went to an alumni meet-n-greet with the president of my alma mater last night. It was held at one of the private clubs in the Loop. I checked my hat and coat at their checkroom.

When I went to collect my stuff I noticed that my had had been properly placed on its crown. And then the coat check girl picked it up by the brim! She never touched the crown.

Amazing!

 

[BobC]

That is rather amazing, Aerol, especially these days. The vast majority of people I meet today say nothing or, occasionally, make some Indiana Jones comment that I ignore. I hope you tipped the lady well.

 

[Tomasso]

Good to hear. Good coat check service is getting rarer and rarer these days.

BTW, which club did you visit?

 

[Aerol]

It was the Union League of Chicago, and, unfortunately, they had a very large sign prohibiting tipping.

 

[Tomasso]

unfortunately, they had a very large sign prohibiting tipping.

Most private clubs prohibit tipping at the coat check. Something about it being such a basic amenity that charging for it, on top of club dues, would be overkill; And something a member would not want to expose a guest to.

To compensate for the lack of tips, the coat check workers usually receive a higher remuneration. And, they participate in the employee holiday fund.

 

[troy]

It's very nice to hear that proper care was taken by the hat and coat check personnel. My opinion of Customer Service is generally in area of 10% of where I think it should be. With that in mind, I am very appreciative of good Customer Service and show that appreciation.

I tip my hat to the coat check personnel!

 

[Aerol]

Whenever I go to my health club I check my hat and coat. I noticed that they always handled my hats properly, by the brim. I wanted to compliment the staff, so I said "thanks for handling my fedora properly" to the guy behind the counter.

His reply: What's a fedora?

I explained that it was my type of hat and he told me that they had a special shelf for hats and that they had been instructed to always put hats on the shelf and never into the sleeves of coats (as they might a scarf). They had also been instructed to always handle hats by the brim and never by the pinch.

I thanked him again. He was very pleased that someone had noticed his professionalism.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

It was the Union League of Chicago, ....

That goes a long way toward explaining it. We often bemoan the loss of Golden Era mores and manners, but the truth is that they're (mostly) alive and well at the oldest and most exclusive city and country clubs. Here in Los Angeles, the California Club and the Jonathan Club are still very "Golden Era." The problem is, you have to pay a goodly sum to get into that world.


.

 

[carldelo]

I went to an alumni meet-n-greet with the president of my alma mater last night. It was held at one of the private clubs in the Loop. I checked my hat and coat at their checkroom.

When I went to collect my stuff I noticed that my had had been properly placed on its crown. And then the coat check girl picked it up by the brim! She never touched the crown.

Amazing!

That's nice to hear - my hat is usually treated well at Roseland in NY, although not always.

Your story reminded of an event at Christmas. I was buying something at Century 21 (fancy clothes at a discount) and set my Stetson on the counter, crown down. The clerk grabbed it roughly by the brim, flipped it over and starting pushing it back and forth over the the scanner, trying to get it to ring up. I had to pull it out of her hand to get her to stop - she didn't even attempt an apology - luckily no harm was done.

 

[Tomasso]

Whenever I go to my health club I check my hat and coat. I noticed that they always handled my hats properly, by the brim.

Which health club?

 

[Aerol]

East Bank Club.

 

[Tomasso]

East Bank Club.

I was going to guess EBC because it's the only health club I know of in Chicago that has a coat check but in all my years there (charter member) I've never seen a man working the room. [huh]

 

[Aerol]

T, now that you mention it, this guy was the first male I'd seen there, too (and I've been a member 26 years). He seemed to be covering during the regular clerk's lunch period.

But clearly they've all been instructed in the proper care and feeding of a fedora!