How it all began

People often ask us, “How did you get into the escape room business?”

The answer is simple… we escaped one ourselves.

While on a family holiday, we decided to try an escape room. Like many first-timers, we walked in expecting a bit of fun. We walked out completely hooked. The puzzles, the teamwork, the laughter, and that feeling of achievement had us talking about it long after we’d left.

Genie and I chatted with the owners afterwards, we mentioned that Nelson really needed something like this. The region had plenty to offer, but there wasn’t an interactive entertainment experience quite like an escape room.

Little did we know that conversation would change our lives.

AN idea that wouldn’t go away

Upon arriving home, I (Lindsay—the one known for the slightly crazy ideas) couldn’t let it go. I kept coming back to one question…

“Why don’t we bring escape rooms to Nelson ourselves?” As you can imagine, that idea was met with a few raised eyebrows.

Turning an idea into a business wasn’t easy. Convincing the bank took determination. Working through council requirements tested our patience. There were plenty of hurdles along the way, but eventually everything lined up.

We were finally ready.

Ready to go… or so we thought

At 2:00 pm, we collected the keys to our new building. Painters, electricians, and builders were booked. The dream was becoming reality. Then, just two hours later… At 4:00 pm, the Prime Minister announced New Zealand was entering COVID-19 lockdown. Talk about timing.

Suddenly, we had the keys to an empty building that nobody was allowed to work in.  No painters. builders. or electricians could work. Just four walls, a whole lot of uncertainty, and a dream waiting patiently.

When the country eventually moved into Level 3, another challenge appeared. Every tradesperson in New Zealand was suddenly trying to catch up on weeks of postponed work. Our carefully planned schedule disappeared overnight, and every day became a juggling act.

As our original opening date was quietly slipping away we weren’t giving up. Piece by piece, room by room, wire by wire, the dream slowly came together.

Opening day chaos

Or perhaps we should call it controlled chaos.

With our first games booked as part of a radio promotion, kicking off at 5:00 pm on 24 November 2021. Looking back, the final hours before opening felt less like preparing a business and more like the last episode of The Block or one of Scotty Cams famous “Final Countdown” moments.

Everyone pitched in. Builders were finishing last-minute jobs. Electricians were racing the clock. We were running around like headless chickens trying to finish the rooms. At one stage, even the radio presenter found himself pushing a vacuum cleaner just to help us get across the finish line.

Thanks to an enormous effort from family, friends, contractors, and everyone who believed in the dream, we looked at the clock, it was 4:45 pm. Were we completely ready? Probably not. But somehow we were ready enough!

Fifteen minutes later, our very first players walked through the door, and Xscape Space officially began. Looking back now, we wouldn’t change a thing. Those challenges taught us resilience. They taught us to adapt, to think creatively, and to appreciate every person who helped us along the way.

What Xscape Space became

Today, Xscape Space has grown into far more than escape rooms. We’ve created Outdoor Games, Mystery Trail Quests, Team-Building Experiences, and unforgettable memories for thousands of guests.

But no matter how much we grow, we’ll never forget where it all started…

A family holiday.

One escape room.

That why not us?

Let’s not forget that one slightly crazy idea that turned into an adventure of a lifetime.