Professional Cuddler Opens Shop Where Patrons Have To Pay To Cuddle – Gets Over 10,000 Customers In A Week

A professional cuddler opened up a shop in Portland, Oregon, where people have to pay to snuggle with someone. Despite the rather steep fees, she managed to get over 10,000 customers within the first week itself.

The cuddling market is heating up really fast. People with a severe lack of intimacy or those who are simply looking to have some physical comfort in the warm embrace of another person are searching for ways to get their emotional fix. To cater to such people, companies are coming up with innovative solutions like mobile apps.

However, just as you would enter a store to procure something, Samantha Hess thought of offering up a space for her patrons to get non-sexually cozy. Of course, her customers would have to pay like regular customers do when they buy something in a shop.

As a result of there being virtually no known competition in the one-on-one cuddling market, Samantha opened up her physical business, Cuddle Up To Me, in Portland, Oregon. She confesses that she opened up her store after hitting a low in her life.

“I was at a place where I thought paying someone to hug me and not have ulterior motives sounded like a great idea. I decided why can’t this be a thing that we can easily and safely reach for?”

Thus, Cuddle Up To Me was conceptualized and Hess began thinking up of ways to ensure the business was safe for people looking for short moments of physical intimacy without being subjected to abuse. Hess admits that it was difficult to find a landlord that trusted her business model, as most people just assumed that the cuddling was to cover up, you know, sex, reported the Stupid News Network.

“People always think that there’s upgrades or, you know, additional services that we provide, and that’s not true … It’s a simple service. It’s the same for a man or a woman. We are a family-oriented service. We’re not adult-oriented in any way. We just make people feel loved and accepted for who they are.”

Hess’ shop has four different rooms to cuddle in, each equipped with cameras. Sessions are always taped to ensure the safety of both cuddler and cuddlee. Moreover, she has to ensure the safety of her employees as well. That’s right: Hess recently hired three ‘professional’ women who are becoming trained in the fine art of platonic touching.

One can’t surely expect such services to be free. Each hour-long session costs about $60, though everyone can cuddle differently, shared Hess. The shop is open Monday to Saturday. Talking is optional and pajamas are encouraged. Apparently, the store also allows the patrons to simply sit and read together.

Despite sounding like a farce, Hess has been inundated with phone calls and claims to have gotten over 10,000 inquiries, reported the Independent.

[Image Credit: AV Media, the Independent]