Woburn Center to Welcome 'Escape Room'

WOBURN, MA — A trendy new activity which grew in popularity in Asia and made its way stateside will be coming to Woburn this weekend.

North Shore Escape will be opening an 'escape room' in Woburn Center, located at 397 Main St. in the same store block as Tremonte and HR Block. The escape room, operating under the theme of a Mystery at the Art Gallery, places participants in a themed space where they are tasked with working together to solve puzzle and find clues to make their way out within a one-hour timeframe.

Uncommon in today's society, players must leave cell phones, cameras and gadgets at the door. CEO and Game-master Sol Gordon says that his escape room allows players to be freed from the shackles of their smartphones and fosters human interaction.

"Everyone I spoke to [after visiting Granite State Escape in Manchester, NH] said 'I just spent an hour without my cell phone,'" Gordon told Patch."That's what people are craving now is interactive entertainment."

According to a report by MarketWatch, the concept of the escape, otherwise known as a puzzle room or room began in Japan and exploded in Asia. Eventually, the physical adventure game concept made its way through Europe and became very popular in Canada before making its way to the U.S.

While Gordon says the concept is relatively new to New England, there are escape rooms in Arlington, Peabody and Saugus, to name a few.

Upon entering the escape room, teams are given a a back story and are left to their own devices to solve puzzles and find clues. To get to the end of the game, teams must solve the series of puzzles to learn more of the story, which will eventually lead them out of the room.

While Gordon says many escape rooms utilize magnetic locks to confine players into rooms, players will not actually be locked inside the space at this particular location. The experience is targeted towards millennials, but Gordon added that players between the ages of 6 to 93 participated in his test groups.

"It is family friendly, but mine is a little on the creepier side," described Gordon."It's a little bit like Disney horror. There are no jump scares or actors, but you are interacting with a mysterious art gallery."

Gordon also mentioned that small businesses have been drawn to the concept due to it's team-building properties.

"It's all based around teamwork," Gordon said."The puzzles would be very difficult to complete by yourself within an hour. You have to have communication."

Tickets cost $27, and each game can be played with between 4 and 10 people. You can book your experience through the North Shore Escape website, and use the promo code "solvethemystery" for 15 percent off. Cameras are not allowed in the escape room, but your team will be able to take a team picture afterwards.

"The fact is that entertainment is getting away from social interaction," Gordon said."It [escape rooms] really lends itself more towards interaction."

Images courtesy of Sol Gordon