Three local businesses offer exciting, new entertainment options for thrill seekers.
Across the nation, there’s been a boom in escape rooms as people seek out unique, interactive entertainment that challenges their problem-solving abilities. Escape rooms originated from video games in which players had to solve mysteries and interact with other players within a “location” to move to the next level. In 2007, a Japanese company took this concept further by creating the first live escape room, in which participants were locked in a room for an hour and had to solve a series of problems in order to escape.
The idea quickly took root, with escape rooms popping up across Asia and Europe. The first escape room in the United States opened in Seattle in 2013. Today, there are more than 2,800 escape rooms across the country.
Creating a fun, challenging experience is the name of the game. Why just sit and watch a show when you can be part of the act… and prove you’re the smartest person in the room (assuming you solve the puzzle)? It’s also an affordable way to have fun with friends—generally under $30 per person. Here in the Peoria area, three local couples have opened successful escape room businesses in the past two years, with hundreds of customers experiencing the thrill each week.
Escape Afficionados
On a weekend getaway to Indianapolis several years ago, Michelle and Steve Rouland stumbled upon an escape room and decided to have a go at it. “We had such a blast finding objects and solving the room’s puzzles,” Michelle recalls, “we immediately booked with another escape room company for the next day.” They were hooked. Read the rest here.
