The Breakroom Rage Room opens in West Asheville. Here's what to know.
ASHEVILLE - Get ready to smash the stress away at the city’s first rage room, now open in West Asheville.
On Sept. 6, The Breakroom opened at 1054 Patton Ave. ― a business that welcomes customers to destroy property to have a good time.
On opening day, business partners Kelly Bridges and Kelly Lucy were ready to open the doors for their first customers booked.
“I am ready. I am excited. I’m ready for the opening day and all the stress that came along just to be right here just to be over with so our nerves can get calm,” Bridges said.
They’re easing into operations with a midweek opening and expecting business to pick up in the days to come as interest continues to grow.
The Breakroom, a local woman-owned and family-operated business, is intended to provide an entertainment alternative for the Asheville community.
“There’s a lot of breweries and things to do that go along with drinking or hiking, but once Fun Depot shut down there wasn’t much for adults and children to do,” Bridges said.
Rage rooms exist in other cities, but the entrepreneurs saw a place for the concept in Asheville’s market.
“We were motivated to be the first one,” Lucy said. “That was important to us. If two moms were going to go out on a limb and put that much time, effort and money into something, we wanted it to be unique. We didn’t want to just open something that’s here already. Even though it seems risky, it was less of a risk because we knew it existed in other places just not here yet.”
Taking the first crack
Leading up to the opening, Bridges and Lucy invited guests to take the first swing. They said some were surprised by how much they enjoyed the experience.
The purpose of the rage room will change with each person. Anger or frustration isn’t required for entry.
Some people may be seeking a way to channel angst while others set out to let loose, have fun and make memories with family and friends.
“If you are bored, if you have frustration, if you have grief, if you want to hang out with your friends, if you want to go out on a date, if you want to bring your kids ― there’s tons of reasons to come and try it,” Bridges said. “Even if you don’t know what it is and you’re just curious, come try it.”
The breakdown of The Breakroom
The Breakroom offers three rage rooms, each stocked with larger items to bash, such as a hood of a vehicle.
Safety comes first, so guests are prompted to sign a waiver and put on a face guard and gloves. Closed-toed shoes and long sleeves are required. Coveralls are available for all, and a pair of boots may be rented.
Once suited up, guests may shop the Breakroom’s inventory to load up a crate with small breakables, such as empty alcohol bottles, teacups and teapots, plates and vases. The cost is $40 per person if using The Breakroom’s items.
Guests are allowed to bring in 10-12 items of their own that they’d like to destroy if they fit within a medium-sized box. The cost is $30 per guest.
The maximum capacity is three people per room at a time. The minimum age of participants is 10 years old. Guardians are required to be present for guests ages 10-17.
A window allows others to watch from a safe distance.
Inside the rage room, guests choose their weapons. Sledgehammers, baseball bats, pipes and golf clubs are among the choices.
Then, proceed with bashing, shattering and throwing for the 30-minute session.
Each room has a Bluetooth speaker so guests may sync their favorite smash-inspiring playlist. Cabinets are inside the room for guests to safely store their personal non-breakable belongings during their session.
Later, Bridges and Lucy plan to open an additional room for guests to express themselves in a chaotic and artistic fashion. The paint room will allow guests to throw paint at each other or on a canvas.
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The Breakroom Rage Room
Where: 1054 Patton Ave., Asheville.
Hours: 2-10 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday.
Cost: $30-40.
Info: For more, visit thebreakroomavl.com and follow on Facebook and Instagram @thebreakroom_avl.
Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow her on Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: The Breakroom, a rage room, opens in Asheville as fun, stress-reliever
