A Smashing Idea For Knocking Out Stress

CBS Evening News: The Smash Shack's Customers Let Frustrations Fly

(CBS)  Sarah Lavely knows all about fragile things and fragile times.

"Times are hard, people are frustrated. People are under stress," she said.

So she recently opened a store - or shack - in San Diego, where if you buy it, you can break it, CBS News correspondent Ben Tracy reports.

"Come here, spend a few bucks, smash my stuff," Lavely said.

Kelley and Steve Simon came to shatter some stress. They're worried about everything from their savings to their jobs.

"What frustration are you bringing to the smash shack today?" Tracy asked them.

"Work. Absolutely," they said.

So they and their friends let their frustrations … fly.

"You're not supposed to break stuff - and the fact that you freely can is a little shocking," Steve Simon said.

When the Smash Shack opened up a couple of months ago, it could have been a really bad time to start a new small business. But in fact the economy's troubles have turned it into a smashing success.

Lavely has seen her profits double since she opened the shack in August - an idea she first got during a bad divorce.

"I was at my mom's house and I really couldn't smash her stuff, but I needed more smashing," she said.

So now she loads up her store with restaurant rummage - and customers pay to take a crack at it.

She donates the leftovers for art projects.

These days, smashers often write out their concerns, such as "real estate values," and they can include everything from 401(k)s to gas prices to presidential candidates.

"I feel a little more energized and I don't have those frustrations kind of weighing down on me," said Kelley Simon after smashing a plate.

And now she has a little less on her plate.

[sesimon17]

I think people are taking the tone of this story waaaay too seriously and are missing the point. People, including myself, aren''t really going here as a stress reliever. It''s a spin they put in news to make it an interesting story. They ask your certain questions, then cut and edit what they think makes a good piece. That''s how news work. There was at least an hour of footage and they sifted out about 90 seconds to make a story. None of us were actually stressed and using this as a means to relieve it. It''s just something goofy and fun to do. Myself, and the many others that gave it a try, aren''t idiots for checking it out. Your argument could be made for people that spend $15 to go to the movies or $50 to go whack a golf ball around for a few hours. It''s called recreation, people. Geez, lighten up. CBS spent two minutes airing something unique on the news and people are going all crazy about it. I think people have gotten way too uptight.

[marc_m1]

Sorry... but I think you are the ones who are missing the point. I''m all for raising money for worthy causes and if sesimon17 co-ordinated a successful fundraiser at this business that was started a couple of months ago... well, Bravo! I''m also in favor of people starting small businesses! But... my original point was that physical exercise and charitable volunteering are much more positive and effective ways of reducing stress than paying to break dishes. Doesn''t anyone see the irony here? These people stated that they were stressed out about the economy so they''ve decided to spend some of the hard earned money that they have left to break dishes. That''s pretty funny and ironic to me.

As for the reporter deciding not to include any mention of the fundraiser tells me that he felt the really important story was the breaking of dishes to relieve stress. Just another example of our misguided and wasteful society and what passes for "news" in the main stream media. That''s all I was trying to say!

[shimano35]

Put these people in a rubber room and throw the key away!!!

[shimano35]

The dumbest story I have ever seen, I thought c.b.s. was slumping when they scraped the bottom of the barrel with Couric but this really takes the cake!!!

[mswolfestock]

Marc_M1 - Dude, you are missing the point . . .

One person''s idiocy is another person''s profit, for starters.

If these folks feel better after smashing yard sale junk, that is great. Maybe they will be less likely to smash each other now. And that is probably the larger point - the business owner is making a living providing a service that reduces stress.

Marc_M1 - you could use a little bit of therapeutic plate smashing yourself.

[sesimon17]

Marc - I was one of the participants in this story and helped organize the fundraising event. We raised a lot of money for a good cause, had great participation, and everyone had a ton of fun. It''s a really cool business idea and I hope much sucess to Sarah. Like Sonny said, hats off to any small business owner making a profit in today''s economy. Absolutely, good for her!!

[sonnybeaches]

This woman took a risk on a creative business idea in a rough economy and is pulling a profit. Good for her!!

[lynn1206]

Almost 30 years ago I was going through a rough patch. I talked to my mother one noght and told her...I was so frustrated I wanted to throw something. I had reconciled the cleanup, but couldn''t find anything I hated enough to break. the next day she came to my house with a box full of yard sale plates she purchased on the way to my house for $2. I broke the whole box on the side of the house, cleaned it up and felt great! I''ve been collecting and giving plates to friends who are stressed. this womans mother or friend must have done the same for her...She''s just taken it to the next level! Good for her!

[marc_m1]

Oh Please! Give me a break sesimon17. Ben Tracy specifically talks about the proprietor starting a new business and that her profits are up. There is absolutely no mention of any fundraiser. Why would he "neglect" to mention such an important fact?

[sesimon17]

Or maybe perhaps its the spewing of name calling and hate that is the reason the rest of the world hates us, as you claim. Or jumping to immediate conclusions on shortsighted, biased opinions. What the story neglected to mention was that the participants in this story were holding a fundraiser to help raise money and awareness for the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer 3-day walk. And if the writer of this comment would prefer to relieve stress in other ways then spewing hate on comment boards, here is the website where one can donate to this very important cause.

http://www.the3day.org/

[marc_m1]

When I finished watching this story I told my wife that this is the type of mentality that makes the rest of the world hate us. What an amazing display of shallowness and utter stupidity! The economy is tanking, we''re in the middle of two wars and these idiots are trying to relieve stress by paying to break dishes? Unbelievable! Why not go for a nice long run and then take that money and donate it to a good charity or homeless shelter? How about volunteering somewhere? There are lots of more productive ways to relieve stress than throwing money away and breaking dishes. Also... shame on CBS News for giving a platform to such idiocy!