Exploring New Rooms

Amanda Thattanakham, Business Manager

Calling all super sleuths, co-workers, families, squads, and average joes. The popular escape game has made its way from the internet to real life and now a location in Springdale on Dime Drive.

“The Room – NWA is a family friendly environment. We are not a horror based or creepy atmosphere. We encourage families and friends to come and work as a team while experiencing something new and fun to do,” said owner of The Room-NWA, Matthew Sorell.

The Room – NWA is an interactive game where your team has 60 minutes to decipher clues, solve riddles, decode puzzles and unlock boxes in order to meet all the room’s objectives. Sorell introduced the live action game to Springdale over the summer, and it was an instant hit.

“Our goal was always to open The Room – NWA. From a business side it made perfect sense. There wasn’t anything here like it, or a place that offered team building exercises where co-workers are placed in a setting where they need to rely on each other to succeed by solving the room and making it out in time,” said Sorell.

Groups can choose from four different themed rooms: Biohazard, The Disgruntled Nanny, The Professor’s Study, and the newest room, Ava Flambeaux’s House of Voodoo. The themed rooms are switched out regularly.

“The Room – NWA is built to be challenging! We create, design and produce each room to be completely different from one another which gives our customers a different feeling of adventure for each room,” said Sorell.

Escape rooms require logic, skills, patience, and the ability to think outside of the box. Interactive activities like The Room appeal to everyone’s inner detective.

“I haven’t been to The Room – NWA yet, but I can not wait. I love solving riddles and puzzles. There’s no way to prepare for it, so I can take my friends and see how well we work under pressure,” said Lily Dighero.

Each room requires at least two people and up to six people. A teambuilding option is available and grants you access to all four rooms. The goal is to solve the room in 60 minutes, and those who can beat the clock may even make it on the Top 5 list.

“Communication is key! Listening to your team and trying something is always better than doing nothing. Speaking to each other allows all involved to give an idea. Although the idea you bring may seem way out there, it could easily lead another in your party to come up with the correct answer,” said Sorell.

The news of a new team building activity is quickly spreading; a number of groups have participated and escaped the room.

“Although it was hard to work in a group, I really enjoyed the bonding time with my friends. We messed up a lot but it was great, because we all built on each other’s thoughts,” said junior Nathan Plowman.

The Room – NWA charges $25 per person and all booking can be made on their website, theroom-nwa.com. For a limited time, Har-Ber students, faculty, and readers of the Herald can receive a 20% discount using the promotion code “har-ber”.The Room is a way to develop communication and people skills as well as a chance to work on team building.