Today we’d like to introduce you to Scott DeWeese.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
We started out as customers. Chattanooga, Tennessee was our destination for our first escape room. Actually, The reason for the trip was so I could propose to my now wife, Paula. I took her to Lovers Leap, above Ruby Falls to ask for her hand in marriage. She accepted and I was ecstatic! Well, after the big question was asked, I had no other plans, as that was my full reason for the trip. We looked for things to do in the area. The number 1 attraction was an escape room. We had never heard of one before, but their reviews were all 5 stars! On the way back to the hotel, we saw the place we had read about and so we pulled in. We joined 2 other couples we had never met and attempted our first room. We didn’t escape, but we did find something super fun to do. Once we got back to Houston, we played several more escape rooms. We had fun, but the experience was not the same as the one in Chattanooga. After lots of gameplay and heavy research, We decided to build our own escape room. We talked to all of our grown kids and they joined us to build a premier escape room. Not just any escape room, we were going to be the best in the Houston area. We started out by leasing a 4000+ sq. ft. location in the prime area of Katy, TX.
We have larger rooms, great parking, we are surrounded by great restaurants in the same complex and in the middle of the Oil and Gas capital in Houston. We started in July 2017. We hired a company, Thrill Builders, out of Wisconsin to give us that over the top edge we desired. They brought along a 19 year Hollywood designer to do our paintwork. Brian Demski, the same guy that worked on the Green Mile, The Avengers set and several horror movies you have probably seen. Brian put us in another category for escape rooms with his meticulous attention to detail. We have been one of the top escape rooms in the Houston area since we opened. We Strive to be the best at what we do. One of the most fully immersive experiences you will ever do. Come check us out.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Setting up a business is the hardest part. Lots of upfront costs, taxes, permits and approvals. The first year is the hardest and we are almost there.
Alternate Reality Escape Rooms – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
What sets us apart is that we are a family owned, USMC veteran run company. I and my stepson both served proudly and manage the day to day. We also pay such attention to details that we even have smells that match the environment of the rooms. Since we are an family owned business, we strive to make you love what we do!
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
We are holding our rooms to a high level and the reviews are 5 stars for each room we build.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.alternaterealityescape.com
- Phone: 281-394-7848
- Email: info@alternaterealityescape.com
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
