Why Not Add An Edgy Industrial Look To Your Cafe?

Industrial type furniture is seeing an upsurge in popularity as the hospitality industry has come to recognise the many benefits that this particular type of furniture has to offer. One such style of furniture that has been hugely popular since the early 1930’s is the Tolix model A chair.

This iconic chair was designed by Xavier Pauchard in 1934 and was soon to be found in all the bustling bars and cafés in Paris at that time.

The original chair was made from steel and intended to be used indoors or outside hence the hole in the seat which was for any rain to drain away. However café owners complained that the chairs were difficult to stack and so he was forced to tweak his design. By 1956, the classic Tolix chair was finally here to stay. With a slimmer frame it was possible to stack up to 25 high with a height of 2.3 metres.

They immediately became more popular, not just in cafés, but were often given away by breweries right up to the 1970’s to businesses that stocked their brand, as well as to hospitals, offices and factories.

By the 1950’s the company employed almost 80 workers and produced around 60,000 units per year. This prosperous company company remained in the family until 2004. A revival in the brand came about when Chantal Andriot who was once the financial director, bought it back out of loyalty and passion for the company, and with the aid of some of the previous employees launched into production once more. As a woman in a man’s world she injected a new vitality and today half of Tolix’s annual turnover is exported, mainly to the USA.

If you love the look of the classic Tolix chair but don’t relish the price of an original, then why not invest instead in our replica Tolix chairs. Staying true to the original design they are made from steel with a powder coated finish. Available in a wide range of fun and vibrant colours or attractive metal finishes, they’ll add a stylish look to your café. Solid and robust, they’ll last for years and never go out of fashion.