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The
German concept of schadenfreude, taking joy in the misfortune
of another, was surely invented for nasty people like Richard Thalheimer,
the founder of Sharper Image who was kicked out of
his own company in 2006. Thalheimer, a Yale and
Hastings graduate, made a mint after he founded The Sharper Image
in 1977, first selling a watch for runners before expanding into other
high end gifts and gadgets. But as the company rose to great success,
Thalheimer also became one of the most reviled men in San Francisco
for his rudeness and lack of professionalism in dealing with employees.
He was named among "10 Bosses From Hell" by New West magazine
and was criticized for his offensive personality by others including
California Business magazine. The company floundered in the early
part of the 21st Century, with Thalheimer's ouster coming after he
distracted the company by engaging in a doomed months-long legal imbroglio
with Consumer Reports over Consumer's testing protocol and negative
review of Sharper's Iconic Breeze. Thalheimer's fortune, family, and
home in Pacific Heights may have provided him with a happy ever after,
but workers in San Francisco will have to settle for a little schadenfreude
each time a post-Thalheimer Sharper Image store shuts down. The 253
Post Street location is seen here in April, 2008.
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