We may have all thought to ourselves before that we were mad enough to break a window, but most of us have not actually done it. Now, thanks to The Smash Spot, the only rage room in Miami, you can. Located in North Miami Beach, The Smash Spot is an attraction designed for customers to constructively channel their emotions in a destructive way. Patrons get their own rooms and full protective gear to smash away at dishes, household items and electronics, all guilt-free. While it may seem like just a fantasy come true for some people, for owner Vanessa Cashmere, it all started from her own reality.
Five years ago, Cashmere was a member of the U.S. Navy, stationed in Norfolk, Virginia. She had hit a rough patch in her life and found herself with a lot of pinned up frustration with what felt like nowhere to turn to release it.
“I’d gotten to the point where I was so angry and unhappy with the things going on in my life, I literally wanted to break something. I tried finding places where I could release this rage, but I couldn’t,” Cashmere recalled.
That is where the idea for The Smash Spot came about. But not before her life took a major hit of its own. In August of 2015, Cashmere was involved in an altercation when she walked in on her live-in boyfriend in bed with two women. That incident led to her being charged and pleading guilty to brandishing a weapon, assault, and reckless handling of a firearm. While she was not charged with any felonies and avoided jail time, she was released from the Navy and her life was shaken up.
“That’s was a rough time for me but at the same time it was a turning point. That’s when I knew I had to get serious about creating healthy outlet for myself, and others who needed it, to deal with the frustrations that come up when life gets hard.”
As the first themed rage room in South Florida, The Smash Spot has two rooms for smashers to choose from: a jail and a crime scene. At the end of the their session, each participant takes a mugshot photo that they can keep as souvenir.
“Sure, it goes with the themes but for me, there was a deeper meaning for setting it up this way. I wanted people to understand that this is what really can happen to you if you don’t deal with your anger the right way. I want people to learn from my mistakes,” said Cashmere.
The Smash Spot is open six days a week and hosts everything from quick, 15-minutes sessions to bridal parties, team building, date nights, smash parties and more. Packages start as low as $54.99.
