“It’s hard to believe it’s the same space,” Gerhardt said, “and now we have the flexibility to build secret passages or move walls to have a better experience or change up a game if we need to.”ĭespite the work that it took to prepare the space, Hug and Gerhardt knew from the moment that they began planning their business that NOTO was the right location. With the generous help of friends and family, they removed flood mud and debris and built the rooms, gaining experience in demo, framing, drywall, and painting as part of the process. The new location had been used for storage for several years, and had been mostly vacant for nearly 50 years, so a good cleaning and some significant remodeling was necessary to prepare the space.
The response was overwhelmingly positive, and NOTO Escapes became such a popular destination that Hug and Gerhardt decided to move into a ground-level building that is directly across the street from their previous location so that they could expand and customize their space for more twists and intrigue. NOTO Escapes first opened on May 1, 2019, in the NOTO Arts District, and was originally located above Amused Gallery. “There are some great places right here in NOTO to grab a drink or a bite to eat, which works out perfectly.” “We recommend that groups plan for 30 minutes to an hour to talk about what they did after the puzzle The experience isn’t over after the puzzle is solved, either. Some groups want no clues whatsoever, others just want to relax and take it easy.” We guide as needed, or step back and let them roll, depending on what’s needed. “We get to interact with people,” Hug said, “so we watch their body language to see if they are having fun, or if they are getting frustrated. NOTO Escapes is not a one-size- fits-all venue, but a customized gaming experience, tailored to each group.
With the flat booking fee, it is also a cost-effective outing so the whole family can enjoy a night out in the NOTO Arts District.” “Theserooms are regularly rotated and specifically designed with beginning Escape Room enthusiasts, children and small groups in mind. “One of the things that NOTO Escapes prides itself on is our 20-minute POP UP rooms,” Gerhardt said. For individuals or smaller groups who want to play, NOTO Escapes can usually team people up, though COVID-19 restrictions have led to booking private groups only, for the time being. Each booking has its very own gamemaster to tender the game to your level of expertise, and the commitment can be as short as 20 minutes.
NOTO Escapes provides private game rooms for whoever you can wrangle to assist you in solving puzzles and meeting the objective. In, we set the clock and say GO, nobody even thinks about that door. “A good storyline is what makes the game immersive, so that teams want to dive into an “escape” from reality. “The objective could be to break into the next room, find the antidote to stop a zombie apocalypse or to simply find the leprechaun’s hidden treasure,” Gerhardt said. The focus is on solving a puzzle to meet a goal.
In real life, due to fire and building codes, locking people in is not a great idea if you want to keep people safe, so there are no locks on the doors at NOTO Escapes. The name “escape room” became popular for this type of puzzle game because the original versions were based on a 2007 video game that focused on breaking out of a room in a virtual space. Many rooms now provide tactile, audio and visual games as well.” You willusually find a variety of number, letter and key locks that can be solved by cyphers or riddles.
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“An Escape Room or Puzzle Game is a game with a series of puzzles that you have to solve to achieve the objective in a set time,” Gerhardt said. So, what is an escape room, exactly? Gerhardt spelled it out for those who have not yet tried the experience. We wanted to give groups an opportunity to experience that energy and challenge for themselves.” Solving a puzzle or completing a task feels good. “We love to laugh, and really enjoyed the adrenaline and bonding provided from an escape room,” Hug said. Co-owners Kelly Gerhardt and Nena Hug started NOTO Escapes because they loved the rush and fun of teaming up for an escape room experience, and they wanted to share that joy with others. Looking for a unique and fun night out with your family, friends, or colleagues? Try tacklingĪ challenge as a group, working together to solve a puzzle at NOTO Escapes. Photos by Emma Highfill, Rose Wheat Photography
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