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New York City’s Sob Parlour provides a paid place for people to cry in peace
You might have heard of rage rooms — places you can go to smash things to relieve some stress, but how about a place to go cry in peace and comfort?
That’s the concept behind Sob Parlour in New York City, an idea that came to founder Anthony Villiotti after a mini-breakdown of his own a few months ago. Locations pop up around New York City with the most recent advertised for the city’s financial district.
“You cry. You let it all out,” Villiotti told CBS News. “I found tremendous benefit in crying, and I wondered what if people did it as more of a practice versus a reaction.”
What does the Sob Parlour entail?
For thirty minutes at a time, clients can book a private room with music, written prompts and comfy furniture all meant to help bring on the waterworks. While pricing info isn’t listed on its website, an Instagram post from March lists a Sob Parlour session for $20.
In the city, where finding a moment alone can be tough, Charley Garber says it’s a tool that’s been healing him through a rough patch. “I don’t know if I would necessarily cry in public,” Garber, a client, said. Instead, he uses the time to clear his head — and his eyes — without onlookers.
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“(It) really allows you to, in private, dwell on thoughts and feelings that a workplace, a home, a spouse, kids may not afford all that much time to do in regular life,” Garber said.
Can sobbing help relieve stress?
Researchers have found that a good cry can actually produce chemicals that help make us feel better, taking our brains out of stressful “fight or flight” mode.
“Reducing heart rate, allowing someone to relax, to calm down — for some, crying can elicit that response and feel like a relief,” said Grace Tworek, clinical health psychologist with the Cleveland Clinic.
While crying can be a normal part of coping with challenges, mental health experts say people should consider professional help if their crying is impacting multiple areas of everyday life.
Tworek also cautions against only releasing negative emotions alone.
“I think the biggest thing is having a space to talk about the event, process what’s happening and perhaps gain some understanding,” she advised.
Tupperware and some of its subsidiaries filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the once-iconic food container maker said in a statement late Tuesday.
The company has suffered from dwindling sales following a surprise surge during the COVID-19 pandemic, when legions of people stuck at home tried their hands at cooking, which increased demand for Tupperware’s colorful plastic containers with flexible airtight seals.
A post-pandemic rise in costs of raw materials and shipping, along with higher wages, also hurt Tupperware’s bottom line.
Last year, it warned of “substantial doubt” about its ability to keep operating in light of its poor financial position.
“Over the last several years, the Company’s financial position has been severely impacted by the challenging macroeconomic environment,” president and CEO Laurie Ann Goldman said in a statement announcing the bankruptcy filing.
“As a result, we explored numerous strategic options and determined this is the best path forward,” Goldman said.
The company said it would seek court approval for a sale process for the business to protect its brand and “further advance Tupperware’s transformation into a digital-first, technology-led company.”
The Orlando, Florida-based firm said it would also seek approval to continue operating during the bankruptcy proceedings and would continue to pay its employees and suppliers.
“We plan to continue serving our valued customers with the high-quality products they love and trust throughout this process,” Goldman said.
The firm’s shares were trading at $0.5099 Monday, well down from $2.55 in December last year.
Tupperware said it had implemented a strategic plan to modernize its operations and drive efficiencies to ignite growth following the appointment of a new management team last year.
“The Company has made significant progress and intends to continue this important transformation work.”
In its filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, Tupperware listed assets of between $500 million and $1 billion and liabilities of between $1 billion and $10 billion.
The filing also said it had between 50,000 and 100,000 creditors.
Tupperware lost popularity with consumers in recent years and an initiative to gain distribution through big-box chain Target failed to reverse its fortunes.
The company’s roots date to 1946, when chemist Earl Tupper “had a spark of inspiration while creating molds at a plastics factory shortly after the Great Depression,” according to Tupperware’s website.
“If he could design an airtight seal for plastic storage containers, like those on a paint can, he could help war-weary families save money on costly food waste.”
Over time, Tupper’s containers became popular that many people referred to any plastic food container as Tupperware. And people even threw “Tupperware parties” in their homes to sell the containers to friends and neighbors.
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