The announcement I’ve been waiting 2½ years to make.
Riddlehaven has a home
When my wonderful mentor at the New Hampshire Small Business Development Center warned me early on that it could take a year to find the right space, I believe my incredulous response was something like, “Nuh-uh.” Turns out she was being optimistic.
After over two years of searching, negotiating, compromising, and a few rounds of getting our hopes up and then categorically crushed, we’ve signed a lease for an amazing space in downtown Dover’s historic Cocheco Mills.
Worth the wait
I don’t believe in destiny, but I do have to hand it to all the people who told me, “The right place just hasn’t come along yet,” because they were absolutely right.
Dover was always our first choice, and somehow we ended up with the best place we looked at over those 2½ years, both because of the location and the space itself. We’ll have about 3,000 square feet in Mill #5, the oldest surviving part of the Cocheco Mills complex. The 1825 building has brick walls, exposed wooden beams, and tons of character—I mean, lookit the crenellated tower, for god’s sake!
Smack in the middle of fun
We’ll be directly across from the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire and Henry Law Park, and just steps away from some really fun businesses, including Noggin Factory toys and Lickee’s & Chewy’s candy shop. There are tons of restaurants within a short walk, including newcomer Charro’s Mexican Cuisine, making "dinner and an escape room" a new possibility for downtown Dover date nights and outings.
Now we get to make it weird
Construction is scheduled to begin in October, and we’re excited to start turning all the plans, sketches, props, and wildly overcomplicated ideas into an actual escape room. We’re going to be paying attention to all the little details—the sign on the outside of the building, the waiting areas, lighting, and décor—with the vision of making a visit to Riddlehaven feel like an enchanting experience from the moment you arrive.
Our first two adventures, The Ghost Ship and Airlock, are already taking shape, and we’re working toward an opening in May 2027.
We also recently got to talk with Sarah Donovan at Foster’s Daily Democrat about the new space, the games we’re building, and our goal of creating escape rooms that feel less like a test and more like stepping into your own movie. You can read the article here.
Now that this thing is finally and actually happening, you’ll be hearing from us more often. We’ll be sharing construction updates, behind-the-scenes looks at the games and props, and the surprises that will inevitably happen between now and opening day.
Thanks as always for sticking with us and for your support. Let’s make some magic!
Until next time,
Kim Willoughby
