CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Right next to Cosmic Cantina, Chapel Thrill’s new escape room just opened up on Franklin Street. Chapel Thrills is a completely student-run organization that plans and builds escape rooms on campus. Sameera Poddutoori, their Build Team Member at Large, said they’ve been planning to expand onto Franklin for a while.
“I think everyone wanted to, but nobody actually thought it could be done, but now it has been done, so that’s nice,” said Poddutoori.
The organization was founded in 2019, and its first venue opened last year on campus at Cobb. Poddutoori says they try to make their rooms UNC themed to attract students. Their first room was centered around the bell tower. Currently at play is Ramses in Wonderland, and this new one on Franklin involves a missing Tar Heel.
UNC student Maggi Mugi said she had a great experience playing the Cobb escape room last year.
“I really enjoyed it because as someone that always does escape rooms outside, I feel like they were really professional with their prop work, and everything else, and I’m really looking forward to trying out the new ones,” said Mugi.
Poddutoori says the best part of her experience with Chapel Thrills is getting to collaborate with so many different majors to build something worthwhile.
“Every skill is put to use because there is so many versatile things in an escape room that needs everyone’s skills, so that’s how the club began, and that’s what we continue to hope to do,” said Poddutoori.
Poddutoori says that moving forward they are planning to tear down the room at Cobb and create a new theme, but for right now they are enjoying the success of their new location on Franklin.
All the money they make from ticketing goes back towards creating more rooms for the students and the broader Chapel Hill community. For more information on hours and booking visit chapelthrillescapes.com.