Puzzles and themes perfect for the Halloween season are ready and waiting for thrill-seekers at Capital Escape in Jefferson City.
Chris and Rilee Perlingiero are coming up on two years as the owners of the escape room business, which sees players solve puzzles and mysteries to advance through a prop-filled room. The business currently has three active escape rooms for guests to conquer: "Virus," which has groups enter a secret office to try and stop a deadly virus from spreading across the world; "Morgue," in which players search a coroner's office for clues regarding a mysterious death; and "Burn," in which teams search an old cabin for clues to solve a family mystery.
There's also a seasonal variant of "Burn," which sees players solving the room with extra challenges and low lighting, requiring them to take on the challenge with personal lights for an added level of difficulty and chills.
The Perlingieros said they had been through plenty of escape rooms when they lived in Kansas City, and once they moved to Mid-Missouri, they decided to share their love for the hobby with the community.
"We wanted to make something a little more challenging for the people who have already done an escape room or two. We didn't really know anything about it, and we really wanted the experience of doing it ourselves," Rilee Perlingiero said.
The couple said they sought to create an inclusive environment, allowing people to step out of the rooms if they begin to feel claustrophobic and removing more mature elements from the room if it makes players more comfortable. They said their time in business so far had been a great opportunity to meet people and give them a fun challenge to work through.
"It's just been nice to meet people around here. And when people come in, they're expecting a good time and so they're pretty happy," Chris Perlingiero said. "It's been very fun to introduce them to the rooms, and then both of us are upstairs watching them. We get to see people's personalities come out in that one hour, and it can be a lot of fun."
Capital Escape is located at 812 Madison St. in the lower suite and is open Monday-Friday from 2 p.m.-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 2 p.m.-midnight, and Sunday from 3 p.m.-midnight. Visit capitalescapegames.com to learn more or to book an escape room experience.
Know of any business happenings around Jefferson City? Let us know at [email protected] or 573-761-0243.