Liepāja residents create IKEA competitor – growing chairs for five years, but sitting on them is forbidden

While Riga residents stand in IKEA lines for Bjorkenas and Flurgsenas, a couple in Liepāja decided to take a completely different path. Uldis and Katrīna have been growing real wooden chairs in their garden for five years, and have finally received their first harvest. Of course, the result is what it is – the chair only has three legs left, and you're not allowed to sit on it.

"A chair is a chair, it's pretty much immediately clear that you shouldn't leave the legs too long," Uldis philosophically states, holding a saw in his hands. Just one problem – after all that cutting and shaping, only three legs remained. But whatever, the main thing is that the design is original!

What's most delightful is that these aren't ordinary chairs. "They're not meant for sitting, they're design objects," both immediately warn. Well there you go – grow a chair that isn't a chair. Only in Liepāja! Nobody in Riga would think up something so clever.

"We also asked artificial intelligence about its usage," Katrīna admits. ChatGPT probably also got stuck figuring out what to do with a three-legged chair you're not allowed to sit on. But at least now we know – it needs to dry for three more years until it's truly ready. So that's eight years total from seed to... well, to something that looks like a chair but isn't a chair.

Local pensioner Jānis, who goes to the market every morning, comments: "I've seen a lot of things in my life, but a chair that isn't a chair I hadn't seen yet. Good thing you can at least sit down in the trams!" And indeed – while young artists experiment with design objects, our good old tram continues to serve faithfully. Even if it sometimes lacks a leg too.