FARMINGTON – Farmington Underground has surfaced to the streets with a revised way of doing business that has gained attention from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Co-owners and husband/wife duo Joe Musumeci and Mary Ellms started the downtown escape room only two years ago. When the wide ranging affects of COVID-19 began to take place in early March, Elms and Musumeci knew they would need to get creative, and get some help. They sought out an advisor through the Maine branch of the SBA not long after.
“The stuff we’re doing now to pivot our business is for survival. It’s keeping us alive,” Musumeci said.
The escape room’s newest offering of open-air, walking “treasure hunts” brings escapees through the very streets they’ve lived in for years, past monuments and landmarks they have driven by a hundred times without necessarily noticing.
“We’re using the landmarks to draw attention to things that people might not have ever seen before,” he said.
There are two treasure hunts in operation right now- a Farmington version and a Wilton version. Both include 9 stops, and multiple versions of the hunt that lead players through the streets of downtown, with historical facts, riddles and stories. The new experiences take time to develop, Musumeci said, but it’s worth it to see a future for their business. The couple is currently working on developing a third treasure hunt in a new location.
“We’re seeing how far we can take it,” Ellms said.
Their creativity paid off when their SBA advisor asked if they would be interested in sharing their story with Representative Jared Golden on how Small Business Development Centers are helping small businesses adapt and survive in the economic downturn. Their testimony was recorded in their home and shared with other state representatives and president of the U.S. SBA.
To see the full testimony click here. To participate in a treasure hunt with Farmington Underground click here.
Go Joe and Mary!