The on again, off again saga of an unusual new business proposition in Madison looks finally to be back on, as the Snuggle House announced on Facebook this week that it will be open for business on Friday.
The Capitol Times reported that a call to the Snuggle House confirmed the business is ready to begin offering its professional cuddling services – more than a month after its originally announced launch date of October 1st.
A grand opening scheduled for the week of October 15-22 was postponed as the Snuggle House struggled to convince local authorities that the $60 an hour cuddle sessions were not a front for prostitution. An assistant city attorney told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that was the city’s number one concern.
The city also wanted proof that the business had written policies and procedures in place, covering things like training and security. The Snuggle House developed a 100 page manual.
The Milwaukee paper quoted Snuggle House owner Matthew Hurtado as saying that clients were to be prescreened and instructed about boundaries, and that staff members received hours of training about how to react to possible scenarios. Hurtado said there are eight security cameras in the 1,200-square-foot snuggle space.
Similar cuddle companies have been established in Rochester, New York and Portland, Oregon, but this would be the first such venture in Wisconsin.