Star City 6: Abby Bartholomew
Escape Lincoln (www.escapelincoln.com) is a local entertainment experience where you and your group spend up to an hour locked in a room trying to solve your way out. Abby Bartholomew is a co-owner of Escape Lincoln.
Tell us a little about your business.
Each room has a theme and a specific objective, and you have to work together to escape. Our bookings are always for your private party, meaning you won’t be working with strangers on your mission. We also have great options for large groups looking to plan bigger outings. We are located in the Historic Haymarket in the basement of The Apothecary building; the character of the area and our building in particular provide the perfect atmosphere.
How did you get started in the business?
Anh McClure, another Nebraska native, and I started Escape Lincoln because we saw a great opportunity to share an activity we loved with our community. While on a business trip in Scotland, we only had one evening to see some sights and experience Edinburgh. We were looking for something to add that would be unique, and we stumbled upon a local escape room there. Having never heard of the concept before, we were immediately enthralled… a live game where we get to solve puzzles for an hour? Yes, please! We escaped with two minutes to spare and were hooked. Over the following months, we kept coming back to the idea of bringing one to Lincoln. We decided to go for it, and a couple months after that we were opening our doors!
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally?
I think small businesses like ours face new challenges every day, especially with a lean team. For me, it’s been continuing to seek work/life balance. I struggled with this in the corporate world, and owning a business has only upped the ante! Anh and I are both perfectionists and we care so much about Escape Lincoln and the experience customers have there that it can be difficult to make personal life a priority. There is always work to be done, but self-care is an important piece of that puzzle. Having each other has really helped, because we can encourage (or occasionally force!) the other to take some time off, to remember how great we are doing, or to eat a brownie.
If you could choose any other profession to be successful in, what would it be?
When I was younger, I wanted to be a pediatrician. I think I could have worked hard and enjoyed the medical field, but I realized I was too emotional. I really respect that nurses and doctors are able to set aside or channel their emotions in order to focus on what needs to be done in order to help patients.
What local non-profit organization(s) are you passionate about or involved with, and are there any special reasons why?
Lincoln has so many wonderful nonprofits doing amazing work for our communities, but one of my favorites is Heartland Big Brothers Big Sisters. We have had the opportunity to work with them closely on a few events, and on top of being a great organization they are truly amazing people. We are currently cooking up something for next year—stay tuned!
What is your favorite local restaurant?
I have so many! Currently, it’s Maggie’s Vegetarian Café (nut meat tacos) and Leadbelly (peanut butter burger or grilled cheese).
If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so?
Either through our website, www.escapelincoln.com, or via email at info@escapelincoln.com.
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