Some retail spaces in town have sat vacant for so long, we'd swear they're cursed. Or maybe they're just overpriced. Either way, it's always extremely exciting for us when we see a long empty space find a tenant at last. It's like when your chronically single friend finally couples up. So it's truly our pleasure to share the news that 1804 E. Passyunk Ave., formerly a Rite Aid, formerly the Passyunk Pharmacy, and vacant for close to a decade, is occupied at last. Remember, we first brought this property to your attention almost four years ago.
Perhaps you'd think, given the location and the ever-growing roster of eateries in the area, that a shmancy restaurant would have leased this space. Or maybe a clothing boutique? Or a cross-fit gym? All of those guesses are decent but way off base.
No, the new tenant for this location is a Room Escape concept called Escape the 1980s. A Room Escape, in case you've never heard of such a thing, is a real-life puzzle game where participants must use critical thinking to <spoiler alert> escape a room within a certain time period. There are thousands of these things around the world, and at least half a dozen in Philadelphia. The unique selling point for Escape the 1980s is <again, spoiler alert> a 1980s theme. According to an Inquirer story about the place, it's also a little more complex than the standard Room Escape, as it has four different rooms. Also, Atari.
We're not only pleased that this space is finally filled but we're also really glad that the tenant is a unique addition to Passyunk Avenue. With so many shopping and dining options already available, something new and different is a welcome sight indeed. We'll be checking it out in person, hopefully sometime soon, and only pray that we'll actually be able to escape the 1980s- heaven forbid we spend more than an hour away from a smart phone.