While plenty of people in the Northeast fled for cover during Jonas this past weekend, there were others who saw the horrific storm as an opportunity for a quirky type of business. In Greenpoint, resident Patrick Horton and his roommates decided they would build an igloo in their backyard. They made a huge pile of snow in their yard on the day of the blizzard, and the next morning spend three hours hollowing it out. As a prank, they then decided to list the igloo on Airbnb.
With tongue firmly placed in cheek, the listing spoke of “this snowpocalypse’s most desirable getaway” as “dripping with ingenuity and alt-lifestyle aura…built completely by hand all-natural”. Calling on potential lodgers, they encouraged users to spend a night at “this chic dome-style bungalow with Bae”. Horton insisted that the listing was only half-serious; he and his roommates wanted to satirize the stereotypes surrounding in Brooklyn, although said that he absolutely would have let somebody spend $200 a night to stay there if they wanted.
When reports of the structure went viral on social media, Airbnb removed the listing, saying that the igloo failed to meet occupancy standards; Airbnb listing are required to have running water, electricity and a roof and doesn’t melt. Yet strangely enough, Horton pointed out that there is an entire section of Airbnb for igloos, and the company actually offered him a discount to rent out other igloos on the site.
Horton works as an advertising art director by day, yet he has a series of other ventures that he works on, including rap-inspired wrapping paper.
Maria Haymandou 