ABOUT US
Meet the owners of Escape the Pike
Hello, we are David and Meghan Jaquith- the local business owners and operators of Escape The Pike.
We met in 2003 while in Afghanistan with the United States Army. David has worked in the security industry for more than two decades. Meg chose to give up her Army career to raise our growing family. We love adventures and have traveled to all parts of the world for work and fun. Like many escape room enthusiasts, we also enjoy things nostalgic to children of the 80s and 90s.
We take fun seriously. Combined, we have played over two hundred different escape rooms around the world. We know what has impressed us… and what hasn’t so we poured all our knowledge into our hand crafted escape rooms.
We tae pride in Escape the Pike and what it has to offer to people looking for an hour of escaping:
Our tech is high quality and industry specific.
Our staff is friendly and ready to assist you.
Our lobby is comfy and welcoming.
WE TAKE FUN SERIOUSLY
For your entertainment and engagement, We plan our story lines and themes carefully for maximum entertainment. We not only put all our experience into the rooms but consultad with enthusiasts and an experienced game designer.
The majority of the construction and décor was built and crafted with care by us, our family, and our friends who love and support us.
It is our goal that you enjoy yourself, are challenged, receive a lot of value for your money, and have the opportunity to come together in a new way with friends, family and co-workers.
OUR PERSONALITY shines through our work
In the Army, David’s nickname was “Snack'“- for the care packages he used to receive. After an hour of intense play, we thought you might want the opportunity to grab a snack. So, we are stocked up with lots of goodies!
Meg, an avid dog lover since childhood, was a dog handler in the military. She is often seen being followed around by their chocolate lab, Ruby. Here’s Ruby posing for her team photo!
We were deployed to Afghanistan from Fort Drum, NY. While stationed there, we were both part of the 177th Military Police Detachment as part of the 10th Mountain Division.
For additional information, click:
177th Military Police Detachment
Military Working Dog Team Support Association
The History of the Legendary 10th Mountain Division, The Men Who Started USA’s Ski Industry
our players said about us
“Wow!! What a great company. This place is awesome! We have done dozens of escape rooms before but none like this.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - TripAdvisor User
170+ 4.9 ⭐
180+ 4.9 ⭐
9x 5.0 ⭐
Escape the Pike History
Escape the Pike officially opened for business in June 2019- after many months of permiting and construction. This chapter in our lives is only just beginning. Because of your support, we hope to have much to tell.
We would like to offer our heartfelt gratitude to those who helped us get our business up and running. Our family and friends rallied around us, each offering the help that matched their skill sets. Their contributions included labor and construction, the “stained glass” window, babysitting, game design, graphic design, beta-testing, and more.
We would also like to acknowledge some of the local craftsmen that helped us begin our journey. If you would like a recommendation for them, we would be happy to furnish one.
David’s father did all of the electrical work and set up ETP’s unique puzzles. He is the sole proprietor of Michael Jaquith Electrical Services- based out of East Brookfield, MA.
David’s cousin, Dan Socha, scripted, designed, created, and narrated ETP’s rules, Podunk story intro, in-house Merlin videos, SPY2K, Son of the Zodiac, and North Pole Meltdown videos.
While they were growing up, David knew Michael Gustafson who lived on Podunk Rd.- about 1/4 of a mile from him. Michael designed and created the castle doors and coat of arms for Merlin’s Vision, the wood sign for team pictures in the foyer, helped David with the cabinetry in the lobby, and constructed the North Pole Meltdown door. He is based out of Brookfield, MA.
We would also like to thank our employees who have worked hard to help us offer the best possible experience for you, our customers.
A little bit about our logo
Escape the Pike is located just two miles from the Massachusetts Turnpike- or “Mass Pike” as locals refer to it. The Mass Pike stretches 138 miles from West Stockbridge at the New York state border to Boston at the East Coast of Massachusetts.
When the Pike first opened in the 1950s, the logo was much different from the one we have become familiar with today; it was an emblem that included Paul Revere.
At some point, the MTA stopped using that emblem and picked something that brought to mind the founding of Massachusetts: a Pilgrim’s hat.
Throughout the decades, the Pilgrim hat logo has gone through several changes. The version of the logo that was used for the longest amount of time featured an arrow going through the hat.
At the time of Thanksgiving in 1989, the MTA announced an intended 1990 logo change. A second-grade teacher at Fort River Elementary School in Amherst, MA, named Barbara Skolnick Rothenberg, encouraged her 24 students to stage a letter writing campaign. Their teacher was instructing them on the Mayflower and Plymouth Rock and insisted that the logo unfairly portrayed the resident Native Americans as being violent and aggressive towards the Pilgrims. In light of receiving the letters, the MTA decided to change the logo.
A design firm offered to recreate the logo for free. Today, we see a hat that looks more like a social media icon. Unlike the old green hat that seemed to reflect movement, the newest logo comes across as sitting. After coming up with the name “Escape the Pike” for their new business venture, David worked with a graphic designer to create a logo that would evoke recognition of the Mass Pike. Of course, this was decided to be the green hat that is still the most familiar to the middle and older generations.
David grew up and still resides near another “Pike”. The “Podunk Pike” is the local term for Rte. 49– which stretches from Sturbridge to Spencer. It runs through an area traditionally known as “Podunk,” paralleling Podunk Rd. While most people associate the name Podunk with the concept of backwards or simple folk, there was actually a tribe of Native Americans called “Podunk” which largely populated Connecticut. In the Nipmuc language that they spoke, Podunk means, “marshy place.” “Massachusett” was also the name of a tribe. It means “great mountain.” The people of the tribe conducted ceremonies at a mountain in Quincy. It was referred to as “Moswetuset”, or “arrow-shaped hill.” As settlers populated the area, the people and places associated with the tribe became known as the “Massachusetts.
Why the key? When people think of a key, they think of unlocking something– whether it be a clue, a compartment, or a barrier. People who are interested in escape rooms enjoy the thrill of “unlocking” something– whether it is a physical object or an interior ability. In order to “escape” the rooms at Escape the Pike, groups will need to work together to unlock the puzzles and obstacles preventing them from emerging from the game. If they have difficulty doing this, the Game Master will unlock it for them.
OR
BONUS: What is the significance of a hat? A hat is a covering that is placed over one’s head. The head is understood to be the place, or seat, of the mind. As one contemplates puzzles and mysteries they unlock the force of their mind rather than their physical strength.
BONUS (X2): Many people who were children of the 80s will recognize the logo font to be similar to that of “The Goonies.” Puzzles, adventure, teamwork, and escape are all ideas that come to mind when one thinks of that movie. Clues to a mystery lead them into their adventure… but then they must get out and get back to what is pressing in their ordinary lives- much like escape rooms.
BONUS (X3): Dave and Meg had their wedding reception at Old Sturbridge Village. If you have enjoyed learning a little bit about Massachusetts history on this page, pop over to our Sturbridge page to learn a little more.