MANHATTAN BEACH—Within weeks of purchasing a “really cool” converted carnival ride for their front lobby, G&M Plumbing admits that the newness has worn off much sooner than anticipated.

The Tilt-a-Whirl-turned-lobby-chair was brought in to add a little flair to the otherwise ordinary seating area near the reception desk. The company chose the chair because of its vibrant color and odd shape. It was an addition the agency thought would surely be a conversation piece for a long time.

“It’s crazy. I mean who puts a carnival ride in their office? It’s so cool,” noted Account Coordinator, Allie Goodnoe. “For the first week, we all just wanted to sit in it and look at it,” she added.

However, shortly thereafter, principals at the agency began to notice a significant decrease in interest. “I started seeing boxes piled on it,” said Glenn Miller. “I mean, this was supposed to be an art piece not a Fed Ex staging area.”

Some staffers at G&M admitted their disinterest in the chair even sooner. “Sure I sat in it, and for the first hour or so I thought it was pretty neat,” said Art Director Brian Engleman. “But what was I going to do, gawk at it all day? It’s not that cool” he added.

Principal Mickey Taylor said he is extremely disappointed in how quickly the agency considered it “just another chair.” “We work hard to make this a place that our people can be proud of,” he stated. “But they have the attention span of two-year-olds for Chrissakes,” he added.

One agency staffer, who asked not to be identified, expressed a complete lack of interest in aesthetics “The couch that used to be in the lobby was comfy. That stupid carnival chair is like a medieval torture device,” he said.

Officials at G&M have not decided whether to continue efforts to brighten up their space with interesting furniture and art. “Right now I’m tempted to fill the place with folding card tables and plastic lawn chairs from Home Depot,” said Mr. Miller. “I don’t think our people would be happy unless we had real, working carnival rides and a cotton candy machine in here,” he noted.