Are Phone Booths Making A Comeback?

Probably not in a big way, but at the women-only club and work space the Wing, one small phone booth was installed.  A year later, when another location of the Wing opened in SoHo, eight built-in, glass doored call rooms were included in the design.

I have often thought that listening to others' cell phone conversation was intrusive, rude by the cell phone user and poor etiquette.  I must not be alone in this thinking.  I remember one train trip from Oceanside to Union Station, Los Angeles, where I sat behind a woman who talked for over an hour to her friend about her boyfriend problems.  I heard more information than I wanted or needed, and had finally had enough.  I told her I was trying to sleep and her phone conversation was disturbing.  She was very huffy and told me she had a right to talk on the phone.  I told her I also had a right to enjoy my trip without listening to her conversation.  The people sitting within earshot of her clapped and cheered, and she hung up the phone.

Look around your city.  Can you find a pay phone?  My guess is NO.  I haven't seen one in years.  How many unwanted conversations have you had to listen to over the years?  Probably more than you care to remember.  The idea conceived by the Wing is called Zenbooth, and is now in place in numerous companies.  Volkswagen, Lyft, Meetup and Capital One have all purchased Zenbooths for their work places.  Zenbooth is a one person, sound proof, eco-friendly, American made box, and is easily assembled.  Especially with the trend toward open office spaces, the concept of the Zenbooth may actually catch on in the workplace.  It is terribly distracting to constantly listen to someone's private conversations.

Let's face it.  The cell phone is here to stay, but there may also be a place, a limited place, for the phone booth.  Proper etiquette for use of the cell phone and texting is still being established, but I don't think using the cell phone in public and impinging on others will ever be acceptable.  Keep your eyes open for a Zenbooth or other phone book, coming to a business near you soon.