MetroNaps started business in 2004 with a boutique in NYC’s Empire State Building, selling 20 minute naps for $14 bucks. The company has slowly been opening franchises around the world, but MetroNaps co-founder Arshad Chowdhury says overwhelming interest from office folks who wanted to install the pods on-site as an employee perk. So the company redesigned the pods to fit through the smaller doors common to office environments (trust me, retail doors are big), and has started selling direct.
Now the company is targeting universities, claiming that “90% of all US college students get inadequate sleep. As a result, students nap in class, in computer labs, and in busy common spaces. With a MetroNaps Pod installation, you can provide an appropriate place for resting.” Indeed, for about $10,000 each (I got a quote, it’s a real number), you can put pods in your campus center or library.
Who’s tried these things? Do they live up to the buzz? Who will be first with one (or more) in their library?