Luxury bomb shelter business thrives amid conflict fears

World
Europe

By CGTN's May Lee

The US has had a long history of building bomb shelters, going back to the days of World War II and the Cold War with the Soviet Union. But when the danger of nuclear war subsided, so too did the demand for underground shelters.

However, current events around the world are stoking fear and anxiety, which is boosting the bomb shelter business again.

Growing threats from the DPRK, political instability in the US and on-going doomsday theories are increasingly triggering some to prepare for the worst.

Robert Vicino is the founder and CEO of Vivos Group, a California-based company that builds and sells memberships to underground bomb shelters that he said can withstand just about anything.

CGTN Photo

“Our philosophy is not what’s going to happen, and it’s not when it’s going to happen,” said Vicino. “We have built shelters for whatever is going to happen and whenever. We’re prepared for everything."

Vivos has a range of shelters in the US and Europe with more on the way.

Depending on the location, the one-time cost ranges from 35,000 dollars per person to two million dollars.

Clinical psychiatrist Emanuel Maidenberg said buying into a bomb shelter may seem extreme, but not to those who live with fear and anxiety.

“That majority of people will actually follow through with what they want to do (...) if they can afford it and it’s something that they thought will help them.”

Vivos isn’t alone in trying to meet growing demand for underground shelters. Other companies including Rising S Bunkers out of Texas have also experienced triple-digit growth.

Vivos’ next big project is in the Republic of Korea where threats from the DPRK are growing by the day. Plans are underway to build a massive multi-level shelter with an area of 23,000 square meters.

10072km