Could You Make it out? Try the new escape room in Ponchatoula!

By Morgan Landry

The Escape Warehouse

Tangipahoa parish in south Louisiana is already known for so many amazing sights like the beautiful Southeastern Louisiana University campus or their local grown strawberries. They are also home to an exciting growing business, The Escape Warehouse, LLC. This 8,000 square foot building is currently home to three award winning escape games, one being the first ninety-minute escape games in Louisiana. How has this warehouse taken the small town by storm and what do they have up their sleeves?

60 Minute Games

To breakdown the current offerings of The Escape Warehouse, they have tree active running escape games. First are their two sixty-minute game which are the standard for escape rooms, these include Hide and Seek and Unidentified: The Case of Mystery Gates Theme Park. Unidentified is their beginner level game with a 90% escape rate, this mystery story has you and your friends as newbies on the FBI squad trying to earn your bosses respect by solving the murder of Mystery Gates Theme Park. With over 6 rooms built into this game guest are given clues and physical challenges to see if they can find the killer. The next level is their intermediate game Hide and Seek. In this game you and your friends have been kidnapped and your capture wants to play hide and seek, the goal? Getting out before he finds you. This game include a bigger logic and fear factor then the first game but still has a 66% escape rate. Both of these games have now won multiple awards for their immersive experience. They completely take the player out of reality with their elaborate sets and the shear size of the games each expanding around 1,000 square feet.

A picture from inside Unidentified: The Case of Mystery Gates Theme Park

90 Minute Game

Their last and newest addition to their catalog is their ninety-minute escape game SHHH! This horror experience brings your team down to New Orleans for a haunted sights tour ending at Montanet School for Reading and Writing. Can you figure out why the school closed permanently before the time runs out? This game was featured on the 2024 Best of Morty: Top Escape Rooms list. A highly competitive list that feature the best escape rooms from all over the globe. When speaking to the staff they are very proud of their games and the unique experience they are bringing to the town. While escape games are fun and thrilling they also have a huge mental impact on players, the help develop and train your memory and problem solving skills. These games additionally build bond with your team mates, working together in a stressful scenario get people to quickly form bonds and collaborate. Many companies will use escape rooms as team building exercises for their employees to push them to work as a team. These benefits and many more can be found on 60 Out Escape rooms.

Community Impact

So, I had to know, why Ponchatoula? While I have grown to love amazing town rich with so much life, especially in local businesses, it isn't known for being a major tourist city like Baton Rouge or New Orleans. They told me they had a few reasons for choosing their unique location. First, their love for the city, as all of the founders are from the area it makes sense, they would want to bring something so groundbreaking to their hometown. Next, they explained how many tourists it brings to town. Escape rooms are not very common, and they have amassed a cult following from people who love the thrill. Because most people can't just search, escape rooms near me, people that are visiting The Escape Warehouse are tourists. Their customers are traveling from other cities or even other countries. The business is pulling clients from everywhere, meaning they are furth enriching the local economy. Lastly, the experience Downtown Ponchatoula offers their clients is unbeatable, light traffic, walkable streets, and so many fellow businesses ready to be explored. Get caffeinated before the big case at Luma Coffee Roasters or grab a bite after your horrifying haunted tour at Paul's Cafe. The team here let me in on some of the things they are planning on soon integrating. Like a new murder mystery game and some interactive experiences that have never been done before. I am so excited to see what lies ahead! If you live in the area, check them out whenever you have a free hour or two to find out what all the thrill is about. The Escape Warehouse, LLC

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