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New business offers an escape from the daily grind

 
Lauryn Campbell, Greg Chockley, Bobbi Chockley, Kade Irlmeier, 14, and Gage Irlmeier, 13, emerge victorious — with a little time to spare. “That was wild,” said Greg Chockley.
Lauryn Campbell, Greg Chockley, Bobbi Chockley, Kade Irlmeier, 14, and Gage Irlmeier, 13, emerge victorious — with a little time to spare. “That was wild,” said Greg Chockley.
Published July 30, 2015

CLEARWATER

You're a washed-up music producer, but now a world famous band could help save your career.

The catch? You must prove yourself a worthy problem-solver by escaping from your locked office in 60 minutes or less.

That's the premise of the Tampa Bay Escape Room, a new entertainment venue at 625 Cleveland St. that challenges groups of two to eight players to team up and find clues, crack codes and solve puzzles before the clock runs out.

The record time at this escape room is 27 minutes, four seconds. About 40 percent succeed at unlocking the room in under an hour, said owner Jean Varn, who also runs The Segway Adventure on Clearwater Beach.

"We do help them out with clues," she said. "We want them to have fun."

The venue, which opened in February, has proved so popular, Varn is in the process of designing two new escape rooms within the same establishment.

In fact, escape rooms are proving to be one of the hottest amusement trends around the country.

Several more will be opening soon in the bay area. The Escape Room Directory (escaperoomdirectory.com) lists over a dozen in Florida and more than 100 throughout the nation, many with multiple rooms.

The idea, based on similar computer games, began in Asia, spread to Europe and came to the U.S. a few years ago.

Even television is getting in on the act with a game show, Race to Escape, which recently debuted on the Science Channel.

"This is something really different," said Varn. "Families love it; corporations use it for team building. We've had bachelor and bachelorette parties. It's great for date nights and groups of friends."

The cost is $28 per person.

Her establishment features a lobby, the "music producer" room, and a control room for staff to monitor the action.

Varn has created her 10½- by 17-foot escape room using several props left over from her days working as broadcast operations manager at Sirius XM Radio.

Visitors will see a poster autographed by Bob Dylan and mementos from groups like Korn and the Moody Blues. There are musical instruments, a desk, and a chest with multiple locks on it. Numbers and symbols are scribbled around the room. There is also a panic button if someone gets claustrophobic, but Varn said that hasn't happened yet.

"This isn't something that is scary. It's exciting and challenging."

Recently two families — the Chockleys of Galesburg, Ill. and the Irlmeiers of Des Moines, Iowa — were all smiles when they made it out of the room with several minutes to go.

"That was wild," beamed Greg Chockley, 54, as he emerged victorious.

His wife, Bobbi, who had skipped liquor at dinner in order to "keep her mind" said it was a great way for the couple to bond with their teen daughter.

"The fact that we had to lock our cellphones up for an hour was a real plus," she said.

Reach Terri Bryce Reeves at treeves@tampabay.rr.com.