I tried to fall asleep in the Dreamery, Casper’s new nap bar

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Not really about books, but a solution to a 21st century problem those who work from home don’t have. (maybe)

From Fast Company:

In some ways, it was like getting ready for bed. I changed into pajamas, donned some socks, and tried to prepare my mind for sleep. Then, an attendant led me to a large circular nap pod, where a twin-sized bed with crisp white linens awaited. She closed the large fabric flaps and I was left alone in my little cocoon.

“Sweet dreams, Katharine,” said a hand-written note on my pillow. I turned off the light and closed my eyes.

I was ensconced in a nook at the Dreamery, a new napper’s paradise in the Soho neighborhood of Manhattan. Created by the popular mattress startup Casper, the Dreamery gives anyone access to a nice clean bed outfitted with a Casper mattress, sheets, and pillow, and a surprising number of goodies (pajamas, sleep mask, ear plugs, Casper-branded socks, face wash, toothbrush, and comb that reads “bedhead taming device”) for 45 minutes–all for $25. That might sound expensive for something you can do for free on your couch, but Casper hopes to provide a place to crash for Manhattan busy-bodies who need a catnap during the day, after a red-eye flight, or even before a night out on the town.

It’s also part of an emerging brick-and-mortar retail strategy that many e-commerce startups like Warby Parker, Glossier, and Everlane are adopting. “Nowadays every startup is making stores. For a while it was like, we’re e-commerce only,” says Neil Parikh, cofounder and COO of Casper. “And now everyone’s like, actually, people like stores. But I think that makes sense. I don’t think retail is dead, I just think bad retailers are gonna be.”

. . . .

But the Dreamery has a different goal from Casper’s stores. “We’re very much trying to destigmatize sleep and napping,” says Eleanor Morgan, SVP of experience at Casper. “The way of doing that is to create a delightful experience where people look forward to coming and sleeping. If everyone felt that way when they were going to bed every night, we’d all probably be getting more sleep.”

Casper’s team first conceived of the Dreamery in response to customer surveys that suggested people wanted more places to sleep outside the home.

. . . .

Upon entering, visitors pass through a large blue tunnel covered in blue twinkling lights that look like stars–Morgan says it’s “designed to help people transition from the outside city environment into something more calm and serene.” You arrive in a lounge-like space that feels somewhat like a cool office, complete with trendy midcentury modern furniture. A long bar lines one end, with a place to check in as well as snacks and complimentary drinks like La Croix and cold brew. There’s a shelf of boring books on topics like corporate accounting, wooden fences, choral speaking, and the history of golf (which may offend some nappers, Morgan acknowledges with a laugh).

For Morgan, the Dreamery’s lounge area represents a new kind of semi-public space. “There are a lot of third places that help you wind up like coffee shops,” she says. “There’s places that help you work, like coworking spaces. But there’s not a lot of places where you can actually wind down.” Such third places, meant specifically to help you recharge, also mirror the shift toward productivity-driven perks in the workplace, where companies are pushing mindfulness by providing meditation rooms, and, yes, even nap pods. Morgan even proposed that companies issue employees quarterly credits to come nap at the Dreamery.

Link to the rest at Fast Company

PG notes that the sleeping pods may be larger than a cheap New York City apartment. And probably cleaner.