Jacqueline Samuels has become an overnight sensation. Last month she opened “The Snuggery,” a little cabin in Penfield, NY where she offers private cuddle sessions for $60 an hour: no nudity, absolutely no sex, just platonic touch that she says studies have shown can have a positive effect on your mental and physical well-being. (She received a Bachelors Degree in Brain and Cognitive Science from the University of Rochester and is currently completing her Master’s Degree in Social Work). Well, the Internets eat this kind of thing up, and within days, she went global, appearing on CNN (without her knowledge) and getting inquiries from abroad. Apparently the world needs a hug. So we contacted Samuels via her tasteful little website and asked her about the snuggling biz directly:
Q: When did you start this business?
A: I’ve been snuggling informally in exchange for payment for a few years but only in the past month or so did I establish “The Snuggery.”
Q: How many clients have you had? And of those, how many are repeat clients?
A: I’ve had a handful of clients. Most come back over and over. Now, with all the publicity, I have more clients than I could possibly see. My waitlist has about 50 people on it and I’m fully booked. I’m not prepared for this volume of clients but I suppose I will get prepared quickly.
Q: What is your typical client like? Male, single, professional, lonely?…
