Hard Goods Finders Keepers

In 2012, when Hard Goods was still based in Phoenix, Arizona, we decided to have a little fun with our work. We built a custom Modern Muskoka Chair and hid it deep in the Sonoran Desert, about 30 miles outside of the city.

To kick off the challenge, we created a cryptic riddle and a set of clues. We expected it might take weeks - or even months - for someone to solve. In the meantime, we built up excitement, teasing the contest and its release. When the clues finally dropped, something unexpected happened: the chair was found in less than an hour. Within just a few hours, several teams had converged on the exact spot, eager to claim the prize.

Though it didn’t last as long as we thought, the Finders Keepers contest became a story people still talk about. It was proof that design doesn’t always have to stay inside the walls of a studio or showroom. Sometimes it can be an adventure, a treasure hunt, and a way to bring people together around the desert, design, and a little mystery. One of these days, we’ll do it again.