Sarah Lavely
Profession: Smash Shack owner
Claim to fame: Provides a safe space to rampage.
On one of the darkest days during her divorce, Sarah Lavely turned to her driveway for some self-administered therapy. After obliterating all the material reminders of her marriage against the concrete surface, she realized that everyone could benefit from the occasional smash fit. Now a can't-miss in downtown San Diego, Sarah's Smash Shack provides a venue for the purging of frustrations. Customers can pay to shatter the plates and glasses sold at the shack or bring their own items. Lavely even provides Sharpies so that customers can inscribe their smashables with names and other messages.
What's the profile of a typical Smash Shack patron?
Our clients range from about 8 years old to over 65. We have had multigenerational smashers, moms and dads with little ones, friends, sisters, brothers, all types of couples, military, law enforcement, team builders, and large groups. People rarely come in alone, though I can see some of my group smashers yearning to come back for a more private session.
Do people ever lose control?
I have had people scream and kick the walls.
Some research has shown that unleashing anger feeds emotional fire rather than extinguishing it.
Research has also shown that it's absolutely critical to express emotion and anger, as opposed to shoving it down. Both men and women in our society are sadly repressed. I have never, never had anyone leave here feeling anything other than happy, freed, invigorated, elated, excited—even horny, according to one happy fiance! When I see my clients smile, laugh, and cry, let loose, and transform, I know I've done something incredible here.
What do people write on their plates?
What we see runs the whole gamut from a simple drawing, to a single word or name, to a mantra, to a soliloquy.
We find quite a few "uck"s and "it"s on plate fragments, as well as quite a few [political] "W"s. We haven't found any "ama"s yet.
What's the weirdest thing someone has brought in to smash?
A bathroom sink. The cutest and saddest thing was a little glass frog. We wanted to adopt him, but he held bad memories for the owner, so we were good with the fact that the little froggy was going to be freed from the bad juju that was surrounding him.
Customers can hook their MP3 players up to the Shack's sound system. What kind of music is best for smashing?
We hear it all. And then we have purists, who just want to hear the glass break.
How does this job compare to your previous job?
During my 11 years as a veterinarian specializing in emergency medicine, I was a support system first and a doctor second. That compassion has translated well to the Smash Shack.
Tags:
8 years,
animal communication,
bill kristol,
claim to fame,
darkest days,
emotion,
frustrations,
gamut,
history of parenting,
large groups,
little ones,
mantra,
moms and dads,
on the job,
overprotective parenting,
rampage,
reminders,
Sarah Lavely,
single word,
Smash Shack,
smells,
the daily show,
trustful parenting,
vent
