Angry? Upset? Bored? West Columbia ‘riot room’ lets you pay to smash up the place
A Midlands “rage room” is giving customers a chance to release their frustrations, with the help of sledgehammers.
The SC Riot Room allows users to pay to choose their own weapon — sledgehammers, but also golf clubs, baseball bats, crowbars, even a frying pan — and spend up to an hour breaking items laid out in the back of a West Columbia business.
Since it opened earlier this year, the Riot Room has joined with other rage rooms around the country that give visitors a chance to blow off some steam, or just enjoy the fun of smashing things.
“A lot of smash and riot rooms are popping up,” said Michele Kijula, who opened the Riot Room with husband, Mark, and son Nodis. “The closest is in Greenville, and that’s two hours away, so we thought we’d open and see what we can do.”
The room will provide customers with a room full of glass, mugs, plates and electronics to be sacrificed. The number and size of the collection depends on how many people you bring with you (up to a group of four) and whether you buy the single, double or full-on riot, ranging from $35 to $120.
Among the more popular items to demolish are computers, phones, alarm clocks, TVs, and game consoles — although users can also opt for a glass-only riot for $20, Kijula said. Some bypass the weapon selection and spend their time throwing the items against a wall.
The owner says there’s something “primitive” about the aggressive urges people can unleash in a rage room, which have also been called “smash rooms” or “anger rooms” since the first one opened in Japan a decade ago. Hundreds operate under various names across the U.S.
“If you built a house out of blocks, a baby just wants to push it over,” Kijula said.
The Riot Room collects its objects from thrift stores like Goodwill or the Salvation Army around the Midlands. In a good week, Kijula says, the business can run through a hundred glass items and a couple dozen electronics.
Every participant is required to wear safety gear, including a full riot helmet with a face shield and chest protector. A set of coveralls, gloves and cut-resistant sleeves insure no one is injured by flying debris.
Walk-ins are welcome from 4 to 7 p.m. on weekdays, but weekend sessions in the Riot Room are by appointment only, Kijula said.
The Riot Room is located at 2243 Leaphart Road, West Columbia, and can be reached at 803-586-6387.
This story was originally published November 25, 2019 at 4:30 PM.
.jpg)