(Onward State) If you ever have one of those days when you just feel like smashing something, you’re in luck.
Rampage Room, the State College area’s first “break room,” is expected to open in March at the Nittany Mall, in the former Rue 21 location between Macy’s and Express.
“This new exciting concept provides people in Central PA a fun, safe, and unique space to relieve tension and daily stress,” owners Nicole Snyder and Erik Wine said in a news release. “These rooms are becoming all the ‘rage’ across the country with great reviews [for] providing mental clarity.”
Here’s how it works: After booking a session and putting on the provided protective gear, patrons choose a tool of destruction such as a baseball bat or sledgehammer then let loose on items of their choosing, from glasses and plates to printers and televisions and even a garden gnome.
Snyder and Wine said Rampage Room is a safe and controlled environment for relieving tension from life’s stresses, like a rough day at work or an overwhelming week of exams.
Both owners have worked in the mental health field. Snyder, a former U.S. Army medic, is a registered nurse and Wine is a psychiatric support professional for Strawberry Fields Inc. in State College.
“Having both worked in the mental health field for several years, they sparked an idea in October 2018 and joined together to create a plan that removes the negative stigma around thinking that smashing and breaking things can’t be therapeutic,” according to the news release.
Participants must be at least 18 years old and sign a waiver before using Rampage Room. Special packages will be available for team-building and corporate events.
In addition to the break room, Rampage Room also will host quarterly escape rooms with changing themes and other activities.
