Biz Buzz: Smear, smash and destroy to your heart’s content at the Idaho Falls Family Fun Center
Published at | Updated at
Do you want to know what’s happening in the eastern Idaho business scene? We’ve got you covered. Here is a rundown of this week’s business news across the valley.
BIZ BUZZ
IDAHO FALLS
New family fun center offers customers unique amusement experience
IDAHO FALLS – Jim Dortch and his family have longed for a place where they could have fun together without it splitting the family in multiple directions.
Additionally, one of his sons, Dustin, has always dreamed of owning his own business. When they heard that the owners of Smash In Therapy were selling their business, it seemed like a venture that was right up their alley.
Jim and his two sons are now partners at the newly renamed Idaho Falls Family Fun Center at 755 South Capital Avenue. They opened about a week ago in the space that housed the old cheese factory many years ago.
“For a soft opening with no signs up, it’s done very well,” Jim tells EastIdahoNews.com.
Smash In Therapy offered customers a place to come and let out their aggression. It included five different rooms where people could destroy an old car, washer, computer, refrigerator or any other old piece of junk with a sledgehammer or baseball bat.
It sounds a little odd to some, but many of those who try it find it quite fun and satisfying.
RELATED | Feeling stressed? New business invites you to smash and destroy things for fun
Jim and his sons have kept the original idea in place but have added some touches of their own to include more variety for customers.
“The smash rooms can be themed. If you have a bad day at the office, you can call us up, and we’ll set up a room exactly like an office with a computer, monitor, picture frames on the wall, coffee cup and the hidden bottle in the drawer — whatever you want to do — and then you come and destroy it,” says Jim.
If you have a bad breakup, Jim and his team can also plaster mannequins and other items in the room with photos of your ex and you can smash them to your heart’s content.
They’ve added a separate room for little kids where they’ve placed old toys for them to break and a section where you can shoot rocks at a wall of glass bottles with a slingshot.
“If you break a bottle, you’re guaranteed to win something, either 5% off, 10% off or enter into the raffle for a $100 gift certificate. Hopefully, later on, we can offer other prizes for other businesses here in town,” says Jim’s son Jimmy.
They let us try out the slingshot and smash rooms, which you can watch in the video player above.
But they’ve also added a paint splatter room. Here, customers are encouraged to make a royal mess. Everything from the ceiling to the floor is at the customer’s disposal to turn into a non-acrylic nightmare.
Other amenities include a “minute to win it” room. Inspired by the TV show of the same name, it’s a place where customers can play a series of games. They have one minute to play for a prize. There’s also a party room, which can be used for birthdays, business meetings and other occasions.
Gaga ball, which Jim describes as a “friendlier form of dodge ball,” is one of the business’s main attractions.
It’s played with a large group inside a circular ring.
“Everybody puts their hand on the fence. You put a ball in the middle. It has to bounce three times and when it bounces, you say, ‘Ga ga go.’ On the third bounce, everybody lets go of the fence and rush out to the ball,” Jim explains.
You’re not allowed to hold or carry the ball. You have to slap it with your hand, but you can only hit it once or you’re out. If you hit it out of bounds or get hit between the knee and the foot, you’re also out.
The trio also owns a hauling company called JD’s Haul It that hauls away junk from homes, construction projects, the city landfill and other places. This helps supply them with items for customers to demolish at the family fun center.
“We’re very committed to giving back to the community,” says Jim. “My wife and her girlfriends go through everything, and we separate it. Some of it goes to Habitat for Humanity, some of it will go to the Idaho Falls Rescue Mission. The medical stuff goes to Life Inc.”
They also work with the Idaho Falls Community Food Basket, and everyone who brings a food donation to the Family Fun Center will get a 5% discount on their admission price.
Jim is planning to add a laser maze in the near future, where, just like in spy movies, customers will have to find their way through a room of lasers without triggering an alarm. Foot pool, a game of pool played with your feet on a table on the floor using miniature soccer balls, is another game in the works.
A grand opening celebration will happen once these rooms are complete.
“There’s more space behind us … and we’re hoping our landlord will eventually rent it out to us … so we can have a change spot (to add an escape room and other rotating attractions on a monthly basis),” Jim says. “We welcome nonprofit and church groups at a highly discounted rate.”
The Idaho Falls Family Fun Center is currently open 12:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday with a 10:30 p.m. closing time Friday. It’s open 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday. The hours will change during the summer months.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT…
Melaleuca has a new President and he’s a familiar face to many
Business boot camp to connect mentors, advisors with prospective business owners
Idaho Falls is one step closer to adopting impact fees for growth and development projects
Got a unique business idea? Test it out in this local contest and you could win cash
If you have a Biz Buzz item you want to share, send it to rett@eastidahonews.com. Remember to use “Biz Buzz” in the subject line. Also, don't forget to sign up for the free Biz Buzz email newsletter.
Biz Buzz is brought to you by Idaho Central Credit Union, the premier credit union in Idaho. Its mission is "Helping members achieve financial success."