How rage room happy hours became all the rage

Rage rooms, venues where people pay to break objects with sledgehammers and other tools, are becoming increasingly popular as stress-relief destinations and corporate team-building spaces. A special-education teacher visited The Ragery in Manhattan to celebrate her 35th birthday by smashing plates, computer monitors, and keyboards as a way to release work-related stress from paperwork, lesson planning, and assessments. The experience provided her with temporary relief and a sense of calmness. These venues are capitalizing on widespread American worker stress, job insecurity, and career concerns. The Ragery reports that corporate bookings have more than doubled year-over-year, with individual packages ranging from $78.38 for 15 minutes to $522.50 for premium 45-minute experiences.

"Monet, a special-ed high school teacher, clarified that the kids aren't the problem. It's the rest of it: the endless paperwork, shifting lesson plans, and constant assessments. Inside the rage room, Monet was tentative at first, but then entered a flow state, conjuring up something that was bothering her before taking each swing."

"Rage rooms and ax-throwing studios aren't a new concept. But in an era when American workers are stressed, facing layoffs, stuck in jobs they don't like, and worried their careers could turn obsolete, they're having a moment. They're finding a niche as venues for corporate team-building events and becoming after-work hangout spots."

"At The Ragery, corporate bookings have more than doubled from a year ago, as of January, said Bogdan Zhukovskyi, its co-owner. For individuals, packages range from $78.38, which covers 15 minutes in a room outfitted with four ceramic items and one 'small office tech,' to $522.50 for a 45-minute 'VIP Experience.'"

Read at Business Insider