Wrath Room offers visitors an interesting way to let off steam

ALEXANDRIA — Have you ever been so angry you felt like you could smash something?

Now Alexandria has a business that would enable you to do just that.

Open since last month, the Wrath Room is located in the old REA building along Seventh Avenue West and offers a variety of experiences and a range of prices, from $20 to $90.

"I like to customize the room for my clients," said owner Felicia Fredrickson.

The room itself is located in an old bank vault in the basement of the building. The door to the vault is even the door of an old safe.

"I like opening the door for my clients," Fredrickson said. "It's all part of the show, something to enjoy."

Once they're inside the room, the customers have a chance to smash glass and wood items against the floor or one of the walls. They also have the opportunity to use a variety of implements to do the job, such as wood or metal baseball bats, hammers or a crowbar.

"They can spend as much time as they want in this room, or as little time as they want in this room," Fredrickson said. "It's up to them. If it takes them five minutes to swing the bat across (the table) and they feel good, great. If they want to sit down and pretend to have dinner, throw something at the wall and take a half-hour, then it's all good."

There are a few rules customers must follow if they want to do some smashing. First, they must wear protective equipment, which is provided by the Wrath Room. They also must wear long sleeves, long pants and closed-toed shoes.

"Safety is our first priority," Fredrickson said.

The items that get smashed are all donations, and Fredrickson said both people and businesses have been "amazing" with what they've given. Items can range from small things like glass trinkets, to larger items like printers and flat-screen TVs.

"I found out that a lot of (thrift stores) clean out their glass shelves every couple weeks, or when something comes in chipped or flawed they just toss it away," Fredrickson said. "Instead, they're calling me and I get it before it goes to the dump. …

"I love that this stuff can be of use before it gets thrown out," she said. "Otherwise, it's just getting thrown in the trash anyway."

A list of wanted items is available on the Wrath Room's website .

Fredrickson said she is also on the lookout for items that might be of use to antique dealers.

"If it can be used, I'd rather other people take it and use it instead of smashing it, so I'm almost like the last (stop) for people to use the stuff," she said.

Fredrickson said she tries to make the room as tuned-in as possible to the customers' wants, asking them questions about what they would like most to smash.

"That's how I can make the room better," she said. "I would like to do a questionnaire online eventually, but right now, all the bookings are through me."

One client had recently gone through a breakup, so Fredrickson made the room breakup-themed.

"I could make it super-personal for her," Fredrickson said. "She ran off some text messages, brought some notes from her boyfriend. I just put them on the table."

The client even brought her own playlist to listen to as she did the smashing.

"I ended up coming in toward the end of her appointment and cheering her on … and she loved it," Fredrickson said.

The comments from the people who have visited the Wrath Room have been positive, she said.

"I've had clients tell me this is exactly what they needed, and they never thought they'd like it this much," she said.

One thing Fredrickson wanted people to know is that while it does offer an outlet for people to vent their aggression, it should only be looked at as a fun activity.

"People use it as an outlet, and that's great," she said. "It works for some people, but I can't claim it's going to cure your anger."

Fredrickson said the idea behind the Wrath Room is a long time coming, beginning from when she was 12 or 13 years old.

Fredrickson's father was cleaning up some unwanted items from where he worked. Included was a newish flat-screen TV with a crack in it.

"I was really curious as a kid what was on the inside of that TV," Fredrickson said. "We ripped it apart, and we had a blast doing it."

Years later, Fredrickson saw a show on Netflix that featured a scene that took place in a rage room, and she began to research the possibility of opening one herself.

A lot of rage rooms feature a wooden spool on the side of the room with things to smash, unlike the dining table set up for specific clients like Fredrickson has.

"I love (the other room style) and think it's great, but I would want it to be just a little bit more personal," Fredrickson said. "Honestly, I'm not here for the money, I'm here for the people. I live for the girl that needed to let go of her relationship and move on with her life. That's where my heart is."

For more information on how to visit the Wrath Room or make donations to it, visit wrathroom.godaddysites.com .