Today we’d like to introduce you to Casey Chattle
Hi Casey, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am a full time Firefighter, but I have always loved building or creating things. From general house renovation projects and repairs to custom furniture and art projects, I truly enjoy opportunities where I get to work with my hands. But I think my “story,” as you say, really starts when our family upgraded from our first starter home/condo and moved into a larger home that needed major updates. Because it was during COVID, we decided the DIY approach would be best since we had the opportunity and time to really delve into home renovation. It was through this experience that I found a real appreciation for woodworking and made a lot of the furniture that is in my home: butcher block countertops, custom breakfast nook, outdoor furniture, and a few repairs or upgrades to pieces that we already had or acquired. During this time, I was also planning a DIY wedding, so with my woodworking skills, I was able to handcraft the wedding arch and wooden benches for my Harry Potter themed wedding. Some of those benches are actually now being housed at Human Resources, a not-for-profit art space in Los Angeles.
Additionally, as if I didn’t have enough time consuming COVID hobbies, I also gained an interest in refurbishing old Arcade machines. To say that I was busy during Quarantine was an understatement, but I generally like keeping busy. I utilized my all new found skills to buy, refurbish, and flip the machines for profit, which, in turn, helped me build my own personal bar/arcade. It was this hobby in particular that led me to the escape room industry.
My wife and I have been escape room enthusiasts for quite a while, now. In fact, I proposed to her in an escape room. She was an English major and has always been a fan of Harry Potter, so I contacted a company who had a Harry Potter themed escape room, and they allowed me to create an extra puzzle specifically for the end in order to pull off the proposal. We later had a Harry Potter themed wedding, which I mentioned. Post COVID, we set out to find more escape rooms, have been able to take our son to quite a few as well, and found a good group to do them with. My wife and I have done over 100 rooms within the past two years and our son, who is now 6, has done about 25 of them with us.
At some point, I began thinking about how cool it would be to make my own escape room. I had a few ideas floating around my head, but with my arcade hobby, I kept going back to the idea of building an arcade themed escape room. I have also always been a fan of Tron and the idea of going into a digital world, so it seemed natural to blend the two ideas together.
It was around this time I met Dan from Brain Games Escape Room. I had just done Treasure Island and casually inquired about his space and whether or not he was opening any new rooms. And pretty much, the rest is history; I ended up pitching him my idea, and he offered me the opportunity to create my room at Brain Games.
The build has been much more difficult than I had initially anticipated, but I’m continuously learning new things along the way. Even while I continue to play new rooms, I’m able to get new ideas and, when possible, connect with other builders. I am constantly exhausting my wife with new ideas for rooms and she has to keep reminding me that I need to finish this one before starting on the next.
She also has warned me not to pick up any more time/money consuming hobbies. I might listen to her…maybe.
Alright, 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?
As I said, the build has been much more challenging than I thought it was going to be. I think after developing so many self-taught skills in such a short amount of time. My struggles have been mostly involving trying to do things that I’ve never done before, and in some cases, things no one has done before. But that’s the beauty of this industry; not only am I able to work with my hands and build, but I’m also utilizing my skills and turning my hobbies into something that other people can enjoy. Not only that, but with building this room, I’m forced to think outside of the box and given a creative outlet. It’s not art in the traditional sense, but it’s a good cerebral workout. There is no manual, no quick Google or YouTube search, or class to take where I can learn how to do the things I’m trying to do. But I’m still hopeful that I can get this done within the timeframe that I’m aiming for.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My wife, of course, has been a reluctant cheerleader, soundboard, and my go-to person when I need a second opinion.
My parents have been supportive as well, my mom especially, who has come up several times to help me with the build.
Dan Crowley, the owner of Brain Games, who has been a huge help with the tech stuff and general build questions. Will Shaw, who has also helped me with building and provide industry advice. My friends and escape room team mates, who have also come by to help out and help me hash out any details and puzzles.
Lastly, and most importantly, my son, PJ, who has been my inspiration and motivation for even getting into this. I think from the beginning, my goal was to make and create something that he would think was cool. That, I think, would be my measure for success, more so than anything else.
Pricing:
- prices vary on the project
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @caseychattle
