Woman Opens Up ‘Professional Cuddling Shop’ – Gets 10,000 Customers in the First Week

Each of us has felt lonely and broken at least once in our lives. In such moments we are in a strong need of support and the warmth of human contact. But what to do if there is nobody around to give you a hug? It seems that there is a service that can satisfy this need.

Samantha Hess from Portland, Oregon, has opened a “professional cuddling shop”, where customers can pay $60 per hour to get “the level of human contact that we want or need in order to be our optimal selves.” The shop is called Cuddle Up To Me and is the first and currently the only provider of professional cuddling services in Portland.

You may think: “Who would pay 60$ per hour for a hug?!” It seems that many would! Hess’s business has already become extremely popular.

“This business has taken off,” Hess told Fox 12. “I’ve gotten as many as 10,000 emails in a week.”

Hess came up with the whole concept when she was having difficult times 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,” she explains. “I decided why can’t this be a thing that we can easily and safely reach for?”

Hour-long sessions are customized according to the comfort level of each client and apart from a variety of different cuddle positions, can also include hair strokes and hand-holding. In case if someone doesn’t want to be touched, the cuddling shop offers sessions that involve only sitting and reading.

Before opening up her business, Samantha cuddled at customers’ homes. Now, when the demand for her services has drastically increased, her studio has four themed rooms and employs three other cuddlers besides herself.

Hess emphasizes that her business is in no way ‘adult-oriented’, but rather ‘family-oriented’: “People always think that there’s upgrades or, you know, additional services that we provide, and that’s not true.”

Judging from the testimonials on the Cuddle Up To Me website, people seem to be very satisfied and encouraged by these services.

“Our cuddle time gave me a different outlook on life. I had no idea what I was missing. I am a big fan now and look forward to our next session. She is encouraging, kind and sincere,” writes Steve from Vancouver.

So what do you think? Would you do it? Please leave your thoughts in the comments below!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anna LeMind is the owner and lead editor of the website Learning-mind.com, and a staff writer for The Mind Unleashed.