Have you ever heard of a “smash room” or “rage room”? A pretty new concept here in the UK, they are billed as the perfect place to let off steam with friends, spending a fun-filled and undoubtedly stress-relieving session smashing up a variety of different objects.
It’s reported that the rage room concept first originated in around 2008 in Japan, to provide stressed out workers with an outlet for their frustrations. The simplicity of the idea seemed to appeal and that, perhaps combined with the increasing pressures of everyday modern life, saw smash and rage rooms starting to pop up in different locations across the globe. As a concept, done right it’s replicable and franchisable and so perhaps it is not a surprise that there are a now number of emerging smash or rage room franchise brands.
Simply-named The Smash Room is one such brand, founded around five years ago by two friends Hiba Balfaqih and Ibrahim Abudyak after one of the co-founders was going through a difficult period personally and found release in smashing up some old junk in her own backyard. From that, the business idea was born and the first The Smash Room opened in popular entertainment destination Al Quoz Dubai. Dubai is of course world-renowned for its indoor entertainment scene, with a whole spectrum of fun, innovative and immersive activities available to be enjoyed when the sky-high temperatures of the summer months mean everyone seeks refuge in air conditioned spaces.
The brand has now started its franchise journey with the launch of a location in Abu Dhabi, and is now looking to target Saudi Arabia and India as part of their expansion plans.
Saudi Arabia is undergoing a period of significant transformation, both socially and economically, positioning itself as a global powerhouse for investment and innovation in line with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan. The three pillars of that plan are a vital society, a thriving economy and an ambitious nation, looking to take the country’s focus away from the reliance on the oil industry and making it an attractive place to visit, live and work in. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the franchise industry in Saudi Arabia is booming, with it now being reported that Saudi Arabia represents almost 60% of the Middle Eastern franchise market. The introduction of the long awaited Saudi Franchise Law in 2020 certainly confirmed the Kingdom’s continued commitment to supporting the growth of the franchise industry, ensuring both parties in the franchise relationship were afforded protection and providing regulation, transparency and certainty in some areas which had previously been confusing and been subject to some exploitation. Providing regulation then meant that the government could look to support and fund individuals looking to launch their own franchise businesses, having identified it as a business model with a high rate of success.
Speaking about their The Smash Room franchise expansion plans, brand co-founder Abydyak said “Our data shows that 60-65 percent of The Smash Room customers are females; which goes well with the Kingdom’s vision and strategy to empower the Saudi women and help them explore their potential; and that is why the timing and circumstances for The Smash Room to be in Saudi can’t be any better.”
As consumers continue to crave new and unique experiences and with their eyes firmly set on markets with a youthful population with high levels of disposable income, it will be interesting to watch The Smash Room’s franchising journey progress, and to see if they are able to make it into a “smashing” success.
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