Visits: 4
Ever want to just smash a printer to smithereens? Well, now you can.
That’s the premise behind New York City’s The Wrecking Club. The business, founded by former accountant Tom Daly, opened its doors last year, and lets participants smash household and office goods as a way to relieve stress.
“You get dishes, you get laptops, you get monitors, you get printers, you get TVs, you get furniture…we set up a room for you and you can just go nuts,” Daly told CNBC’s “On the Money.” He said some people are recommended by a therapist, as a way to help them feel empowered, or as part of a group exercise.
But before entering the room, participants must sign a waiver, put on a protective jacket, pants, gloves, and a helmet equipped with a face shield.
Packages for a session range from $25 for 15 minutes up to $250. The price varies based on the number of people, what you want to break – and how long you plan to use the room.
“What they do with that room is up to them. I actually think that’s an important factor that we stay out of their personal space and they can use that room whether it’s fun, political frustration or whatever that may be,” said Daly.
The founder said he’s had a wide range of people coming in, from kids as young as 12 years old (with their parents), to people in their 80s with hearing aids.
But he added that most customers come for a group outing, such as a corporate team building exercise. There are also bachelorette and bachelor parties and first dates (although that may be a red flag for some people). Yet as more and more people discover the business, finding enough things to smash is surprisingly hard.
“Supply is difficult to get, especially in quantity and at a price that works,” said Daly. He also has to ensure that what he gets does not contain any toxic chemicals that could harm his clients.
The Wrecking Club also accepts donations – but that doesn’t happen very often. “People don’t want to lug it all the way here,” Daly joked.
The Wrecking Club isn’t the only company in the business of breaking. A competitor called the Rage Cage is just a few blocks away, and there are other similar businesses popping up across the country.
It’s one of the reasons why Daly plans on expanding, and overhauling the club’s location later this year, into a full service operation with food and drinks.
While running such an unusual business has its challenges, Daly says he’s never been happier.
“I do end up doing more accounting work now, I end up buried more in spreadsheets now,” he said, “but the numbers means more you know, I mean the work means more.”
On the Money airs on CNBC Saturdays at 5:30 am ET, or check listings for air times in local markets.