Leave it to a native New Yorker to devise the ultimate way to de-stress.
Anyone who lives in a hectic, chaotic city will know that the urge to shout or cry may sometimes become too much to bear. Rather than letting the tears flow freely on public transport or heading to Central Park to shout into the tunnels, Manhattanites are flocking to a dedicated space to air their emotions.
The Rage Cage, located in Hell’s Kitchen, is gaining popularity among frazzled city dwellers keen for some time for unabashed smashing. For $44.99 (€40), you’re equipped with a sledge hammer or baseball bat, five dishes and a used electronic like an old games console, monitor or printer to bash to your heart’s content.
“I’m a native New Yorker, so I know that it can sometimes be tough living in such a crowded city,” owner Jeffrey Yip told Lonely Planet. “One day I was talking to an old co-worker and my wife about fun, quirky business ideas and thought of opening a place where people can break things for fun while not having to clean up after themselves. My wife noticed that I kept talking about it days after mentioning it and encouraged me to go for it.”
A solo ‘rage room’ session lasts about 20 minutes, but you can also join up with buddies, work colleagues, or even your significant other for longer sessions with more materials to break. Mad that they didn’t take out the trash? Maybe the ‘Couple’s Therapy’ session (a $95-30 minute session to do away with two electronics and two buckets of dishes) will help air some grievances.
Yip noted that The Rage Cage has even become a popular spot for first dates. “It’s an amazing ice breaker! The majority of our clients actually come to have fun and to experience something unique,” he said. “So far the response has been overwhelmingly positive. We get to interact with clients from all over the world. Some have even gone as far as driving three or four hours to New York just to visit us at The Rage Cage,” Yip added.
As for the archetypal stressed-out New Yorker? Yip said they definitely do show up from time to time.
“They always leave feeling refreshed and ready to take on anything that comes next… probably after a shower and a nice nap though,” he joked.
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