Stressed out? Who isn’t. Smash it all away at Salida’s new Stanislaus Rage Room
Whenever you get to smash stuff for journalism, it’s a good day.
In fact, with everything happening right now, getting to smash stuff (in a safe and sanctioned environment, of course) is good, period. The even better news is, Stanislaus County will now have exactly such a place to fill all of our inner “Hulk, smash!” needs.
The Stanislaus Rage Room, a new business that allows people to destroy common household objects and even their own stuff, opens this weekend in Salida. The service allows you to book time and then go to town inside a controlled room on unsuspecting TVs, glass vases, computer monitors and much more.
The brainchild of husband-and-wife team Andrew Cameron and Olivia Bartlett, the Stanislaus Rage Room opened Aug. 1 for bookings. The Ceres couple, who have four kids ages 4 to 10, decided to open the business after Cameron’s other business as a handyman was largely shut down due to the coronavirus crisis.
So they invested their savings in opening a rage room, a service that has proven popular across the country as a way to blow off steam, relieve stress and generally have a good time. The closest similar businesses are in the Sacramento and San Jose area. Bartlett said they had been thinking about opening one for a few years now, and the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak gave them the unexpected push they needed to open one closer to home.
“As a mother and a nice person who is constantly keeping in as much as possible, I know this will be an amazing release and therapy for so many people,” Bartlett said.
The business sits in a 1,500 square-foot space in the corner of a sprawling business park off of Pirrone Road in Salida. Cameron built its inside rage room, an enclosed 10-foot by 12-foot space with a picture window for viewing, himself. Another larger rage room is also in the works inside the space, which they hope to complete in coming months. Once that is complete, they hope to be able to bring in cars for people to smash. Yes, whole cars. I know, I can’t wait either.
For now, the concept is as simple as it is satisfying. First you book an appointment and choose your package, which start at $25 and go up to $175 with more time and more stuff to smash with each level. Then sign a waiver and put on your safety gear which includes coveralls, safety glasses, thick gloves and a safety helmet with ear and face protection. Next choose your weapons — from a baseball bat to a hammer to a 2X4 and more — and step inside the rage room. Finally, just start whaling away.
As a serious journalist, naturally, I had to experience it for myself. And, let me tell you, it’s surprisingly cathartic. I never knew exactly how much I needed to absolutely destroy a TV until I was absolutely destroying a TV.
Sessions inside the room start at 5 minutes, which might seem short but when you are in there with the glass and the plastic and the metal flying, 5 minutes seems like a lot. The longest session is 30 minutes, which is a whole lot of destruction-therapy.
The packages also have fun names like “The Break Up,” the starter level which allows you to bring in your own stuff to smash like perhaps a picture of your ex. They go up to “Family Drama” which gives you three buckets of small items, two buckets of medium items and one large big-ticket item.
Bartlett said they’re working with local second-hand and thrift stores to take the items they cannot sell, which they would otherwise need to pay to dump. She said they’ve contacted about 20 places that accept donations who have agreed to help keep them supplied in old TVs, dishware, computers, printers, picture frames, printers and the like. After the items are pulverized, as part of cleanup they then recycle and send to e-waste the items they can.
To take part you’ll need to be at least 18 years old, wear a mask (duh, ongoing global pandemic) and dress in close-toed shoes. Only one person is allowed inside the actual room at a time, for safety and swinging bat reasons, and only small household groups will be allowed to watch as well. Parties can switch off smashing and watching during their allotted time.
The couple said prices may be adjusted downward if the aggression outlet proves popular and they become busy.
It’s hard to see how it won’t catch on, actually. We’re in a seemingly endless global pandemic that has killed 150,000 Americans so far. We’re steaming toward a contentious and already divisive presidential election. We’re watching record numbers of people file for unemployment as the economy plunges. And we’re seeing ongoing civil unrest and a continued movement for racial justice play out in our streets.
So, yeah, we’ve got a lot to be stressed out about right now. So why not take it out on an innocent glass plate or an unassuming fax machine?
The Stanislaus Rage Room, at 5628 Pirrone Road in Salida, is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday to Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday to Saturday by appointment only. No walk-ins at this time and masks are required. For more information call 209-214-8282 or visit stanrageroom.com.
This story was originally published August 2, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
