By ED SALVAS
Grab a group of friends, family members or co-workers and try your hand at solving the puzzle at the new Escape Room located in building next to Perkins Restaurant on the Asbury Circle.
The Escape Room is called “Solve It Sherlock” after the legendary master detective Sherlock Holmes, but this is not a typical crime solving experience, explains Catherine Farrar, the owner of the Escape Room.
Inspired by the popular Escape Room video games, Solve it Sherlock brings the video screen to life with a series off games that require a team effort to solve. Farrar said teams of 10 to 12 players are given clues and codes and 60-minutes to solve the puzzle and escape. She said the three Escape Room themes are “Pirates of the Golden Skull,” “The Magician’s Secret” and “The Zombie Outbreak.” Only the Zombie escape room has a live person involved with the team.
Farrar said the Escape Room experience is an ideal team building concept. She said it’s been played by youth groups, scouts, businesses and by friends and families looking for an activity to celebrate a birthday or special occasion. Anyone can play, but children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. There are also a few rules, no photo or video is permitted during the game and no alcohol is allowed.The rooms are also wheelchair accessible.
Farrar designed the games and spent six months creating the Escape Rooms after finding the space with the help of Louis Dell’ Omo of the Dell’ Omo Real Estate firm. The reception room is designed to resemble Sherlock Holmes’ study.
While the teams are playing the game, they are being watched on video by a “Game Master” in an adjacent room in the event someone has a problem. A player can leave the room at any time, but can’t return. Farrar stressed the games are designed as fun exercises and players are not exposed to any potential danger.
Farrar said her first Escape Room experience took place in St. Louis and she was so enthused by the concept, she immediately began planning her own Escape Rooms. The first room opened in February and two more were added recently. Solve It Sherlock is open every day and can be booked on line at www.solveitsherlockescape.com.
