Turnkey Pirate Escape Room:
Case Study for Monkey Mind in Portsmouth
- Portsmouth, NH, USA
- 2-6 players per session
- 5.0 on Tripadvisor
City, Country
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA. Monkey Mind runs its rooms in downtown Portsmouth, at 10 Vaughan Mall.
Client Type
A local, owner-run escape room company, opened in the summer of 2018 by Renee and Larry. When they came to us they already ran two rooms of their own. Today they run five games.
The Purpose of the Project
The owners wanted a new room that would stand out in a tourist town. They wanted:
- a ready pirate room they could open fast.
- a story tied to the local legend of the pirate Captain John Quelch.
- marketing ready on day one: a name, a video and banners.
Interested in a similar solution?
Explore our turnkey escape room kits designed for rapid deployment.
Terms of Implementation
- Production: about 60 working days for a standard room, about 90 for a custom room.
- Delivery: organized by Indestroom.
- Installation: by the client’s own team, with our instructions and remote support.
Age Restrictions
Recommended age: 12+ for our standard room. Monkey Mind plays it for ages 13+.
Capacity
2-6 players per session.
Two rooms, 60 minutes of play.
Area
At Monkey Mind the room takes about 55 m² (590 sq ft), over two rooms.
Ratings
Legend of the Shoals is rated Very Positive on Morty (103 ratings).
Monkey Mind as a venue holds 5.0 on Tripadvisor (78 reviews) and 4.9 on Google (558 reviews), read October 2026.
Marketing Support
Besides the room, we delivered a marketing package: a custom promo video with subtitles, a legend by our screenwriter, a list of 16 room names and promo banners in their own style.
Monkey Mind named the room Legend of the Shoals, one of the names on our list.
Expected Payback Period
Estimated 12-18 months, depending on the location, the ticket price and the number of games a week.
Example: Legend of the Shoals costs $36 per person. A team of 4 brings $144 a game. Monkey Mind opens four days a week; at 8 games a week that is about $60,000 a year in ticket sales, before rent, staff and other costs.
Investment Range
€33,000-€42,000 for a customized pirate room like this one, depending on how much personalization.
Standard Pirates New Design kit at list price: €36,800, production only. Clients who order several rooms get a multi-room discount. Delivery and venue preparation come on top.
A Local Pirate Legend
Portsmouth has a famous legend about the pirate John Quelch, and it draws tourists. So we made the room his:- Our artists added personalized inscriptions to the props.
- The name of the place: the Shoals.
- The name of his ship and of the pirate himself.
- A treasure map of the Isles of Shoals, with Appledore Island.
A Legend and a Name
The story came with the room:- Our screenwriter wrote a special escape legend about Quelch.
- We compiled 16 room names, from Quelch’s Gold to Legend of the Shoals.
- The owners chose Legend of the Shoals.
Ready to Promote
Marketing made for this room:- A special promo video with subtitles, filmed and edited by our videographer around the Quelch legend.
- Our standard promo video for the room, for other uses.
- Promo banners for their website and social media, in Monkey Mind’s own style.
- Advertising teasers and pictures for targeted ads, planned.
Portsmouth, NH, USA. In her own words, in a letter to Indestroom, and in the owners’ public replies to players:
“We plan to expand Monkey Mind Escape Rooms in 2023 and would love to meet someone from Indestroom […] to discuss further. We purchased one of your pirates rooms back in 2021 and love it!“
Renee, owner of Monkey Mind, in a letter to Indestroom, January 2023
“Our Isle of Shoals room does prove to be challenging for most, but it does give you a great sense of accomplishment when you finally escape.”
Monkey Mind, reply to a player on Tripadvisor, July 2022
“Multi-generational family fun makes us so happy.”
Monkey Mind, reply to a player on Tripadvisor, February 2025
“Ahoy, matey! Have ye heard tell of Captain John Quelch, the legendary New England privateer who ruled the high seas in the early 1700s? Your brave crew must crack Quelch’s cryptic pirate map, uncover long-lost treasure, and dig up real Portsmouth, NH pirate history along the way!
This hands-on, high-seas quest is perfect for crews of two to six (ages thirteen and older) – history buffs, pirate fans, and escape room enthusiasts alike will find this swashbuckling adventure a true Portsmouth original.”
Monkey Mind’s own description of Legend of the Shoals, monkeymindescape.com, read October 2026.
Captain John Quelch, the Shoals and his hidden treasure: the local story we built into the room is the story Monkey Mind sells today, under the name it chose from our list.
What the client received:
- A turnkey pirate room, ready for installation.
- Props personalized with the Shoals, the ship and John Quelch.
- A custom promo video with subtitles, and our standard video.
- A legend, 16 name ideas and promo banners.
How we worked together:
- A room plan made for their space.
- Installation instructions and remote support.
- Marketing made to match their brand.
- Support after launch from our team.