cuddle

December 15, 2017 - 1:33pm
Although the cuddling business caters to different types of needs, it seems Americans are deprived of touch, and willing to pay for it.

On a brisk, fall Saturday afternoon in a small slice of the Upper East Side, 28 men and women gather in a loft with the goal of cuddling with a stranger. A full-figured woman with tattoos and a shaven head clutches her teddy bear. A burly veteran, clad in blue flannel pajama pants, shares that he is open to talking about his struggles with mild PTSD. Event facilitator Adam Lippin smiles, greets guests, and moves through the crowd in white Adidas joggers, jeans, and a purple shirt. Soft jazz floats through the apartment, and the faint scent of feet lingers in the air.