Great discover, @PennyChristie , and also well written and photographed.
I am tagging @KarenVChin in here, I am sure she will love this post about Waikiki.
I cannot actually imagine to have a fitting room for disabled in my area, so I want to ask you: Is this a standard in the area, or this specific place was making a new level of standard?
Thank you @ErmesT It is the first and only fitting room I have personally seen, anywhere in the world, specifically designated for disabilities. I wonder if more H&M stores have them as well.
Wish I came across more great shops like this one, organised in such an accessible way!
Having a fitting room with accessibility features is amazing, but I was also impressed by one more thing you mentioned - the fact that there was enough space around the aisles for wheelchairs to move around. I've been to many stores that had an accessible entrance, which unfortunately had overlooked the need to also allow free movement for people with disabilities inside.
Thank you so much for sharing! And thank you, @EmekaUlor, for the tag - this post is a real gem.
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@PennyChristie , cool post. I believe with Americans with Disabilities Act and local (aka "city" or "county") building laws, public buildings have to accommodate people with disabilities, such as restrooms, ramps, doors (either automatic or by push button), etc. to be able to come into their businesses whether it is shopping, trying on clothes, eating, etc. @ErmesT , existing buildings or older buildings can have the bare minimum to accommodate, but given H&M is new and that what they had to build from the ground up they had to comply with this Act in order to be able to do business.
I can tell you from personal experience not only customers who are wheelchair-bound or use walkers appreciate these big fitting rooms, but also parents who push strollers (or prams) and want to shop too. Never thought about these accessibility issues until I became one of these people who wanted to continue to do things for myself before having kids like shop and try on clothes. These designated fitting rooms can also easily fit (and easily navigate in and out) a tandem stroller. = )
It is very true about the ADA @KarenVChin there is a very similar act here in Australia, but even so only the larger organisations and public/government organisations tend to pay any attention to it when refitting or building new. Older smaller establishments generally don't make the slightest effort. Imagine Eastern Bakery in Chinatown with an accessible entrance, counter and toilet? I'd be surprised!
I remember when I worked in San Francisco on a city project, our machines had to be blind and deaf compliant "Must Have" but they did not have to be wheelchair compliant - all of that part of the ADA was listed as "Could Have" or "Should Have" in our requirements from the customer (a government body) which meant they weren't enforceable.
It would be nice to think everyone really did have to do it, and while the act says they do, someone has to actively enforce it or the place has to have a fear of being sued because they're seen as a soft financial target.
Thanks for tagging me @EmekaUlor, this is really great!
This is taking accessibility to the next level and I love it! For a store to not only grand wheelchair accessibility at the front door, but also make sure that people have a place to try on new clothes is amazing.
A lot of businesses could learn from this, thanks for sharing with us @PennyChristie.
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I agree that this is a critical area to look at when out and about as it's something many of us take for granted. Thanks for bringing light to this area of accessibility, @PennyChristie !
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2022
