A smashing way to take the edge off
SMASHIT Room in Shotover St gives guests in Queenstown an opportunity to take a baseball bat, hammer or other weapon into a room full of breakable items for their own amusement.
With two rooms to choose from, the New York alley or the rustic Otago wine cellar, groups of up to three per room get 15 minutes to smash as many bottles, plates and jars as they can.
General manager Harry Purcell said it was ‘‘a bit of a stress relief’’ to smash up breakable items.
‘‘When people go into Smashit they are always pretty gassed and when they come out you can tell they are pretty stoked with the experience.
‘‘Sometimes they are pretty tired because it takes a lot of energy throwing around the weapons and smashing all the items.
‘‘But some big smiles on their faces and a lot of satisfaction.
‘‘It is a great experience and is surprisingly therapeutic.
‘‘So grab your mates, we will give you a few different smashing weapons, and go to town smashing it up.’’
The two rooms have completely different settings depending on the mood of the person or group taking part.
The New York alley room feels like you have just walked off a main street in the Big Apple to the back entrance of a restaurant kitchen in a small alleyway.
Visitors get to smash items against a wall or use their tool of choice while heavy beats play in the background.
In the Otago wine cellar, a trail of destruction is left behind to the more subtle sound of classical music.
Staff fill the rooms with items the company gets from local bars, wineries and the Salvation Army.
Guests will soon have a wider range of breakable items to choose from, including printers.
Once the room is filled with broken glass, staff have to clear up the mess before making it safe for the next round of guests to enjoy.
Odyssey Sensory Maze owners David Smith and Michelle Jensen launched the country’s first Smashit in Queenstown at the end of last month.