'Something different, something fun': Virtual firing range set to open
Matt and Eliza Cole are ready to give another business a shot.
The local entrepreneurs already operate a cluster of businesses in the Southern Lights Shopping Center on Marion Road. They opened New2You Bargain Bins in May 2020, then added a retail store, pallet sales and BidRite Online Auctions.
In late 2021, they added Your Great Escape: Break It or Break Out in a pair of storefronts, offering escape rooms, virtual reality gaming, rage painting and smash rooms (also known as break rooms or rage rooms).
On Friday, they plan to open Freedom Fire Virtual Range as part of Your Great Escape.
The virtual range offers a wide range of shooting games — everything from close-quarter combat to trap shooting. Other scenarios are geared more toward traditional timed target practice. Shooters can chose from a variety of weapons, including pistols and shotguns.
Bringing 'more entertainment value to Bucyrus'
"Actually, the idea came from wanting to always ... bring more entertainment value to Bucyrus," Matt Cole said.
It's disheartening to hear people say there's nothing to do in town, he said. With the virtual range added to the Coles' rage, escape and paint rooms, plus the The Copper Axes downtown, families have some good entertainment options.
"My father-in-law had done a church event out of town, and they did a virtual shooting range. He called me and said, 'We had people from my age and older all the way down to teenager range. ... We all had a blast. That was so much fun. You should really look into that.' So OK," Cole said.
About a year later, they're ready to take the leap.
"Now we can bring one more aspect to Bucyrus that's something different, something fun ... We're going to be continuously adding to that room; we want to lean a lot toward training; gun safety is a huge thing that really needs to be taught, all the way around," Cole said.
For example, he has a friend who would like to teach his wife to shoot, but they have small children and it's hard to find time to go to a range. The virtual range will give her a chance to learn the basics of firearm safety in a family-friendly environment — and the family can all have a good time together, Cole said.
Children can learn basics of gun safety
It's also a safe place to teach children the basics.
"There's no way you can get hurt with those," Cole said. "They're the same weight as a normal pistol, or whatever else you're using. The magazines all release the same, so you can still rack the gun. So you can teach them all the safety of it — that's on the adult that's going to be bringing their children."
Freedom Fire will not offer training — at least at first. "We do look to get to a point where we're specifically offering training classes, where we have an instructor here," he said.
The Coles plant to offer winter trap-shooting leagues.
Gavin Leffler, a family friend from Nevada who helps out with the business, demonstrated how the virtual range works. The Coles asked him to help out because he has experience with firearms.
"It's not too bad," Leffler said of the simulation. "It's pretty accurate. The guns feel pretty similar to how an actual one would feel as well. ...
"If you want, you come in, you can work on your aiming, or you could just enjoy and play a game."
Reservations are strongly recommended, Cole said. Since there's only one room, someone who walks in and wants to shoot would have to wait until the room is available, and it can be booked for up to two hours.
Rates start at $18 per person for 30 minutes
Rates start at $18 per person per half-hour, with additional time available in 30-minute increments. But the cost per half-hour drops — a 60-minute session is $29.99 and a 90-minute session, $44.99.
"It progressively gets a little bit cheaper per time limit, for the longer you book," Cole said.
Reservations can be made online at breakitorbreakout.com. For information, call 419-617-1864.
Hours are 6 to 10 p.m. Fridays, noon to 10 p.m. Saturdays, and 2 to 8 p.m. Sundays.
The addition of Freedom Fire leaves Your Great Escape without a party room — but that's just temporary, Cole said. They plan to remodel an additional room at the back of the building, which will allow them to host everything from birthday celebrations to bachelor and bachelorette parties.
"Just trying to offer a wider range of entertainment," Cole said. "I know people enjoy getting out and just going to do things with the family. So here's another option."
ggoble@gannett.com
419-559-7263
This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Virtual rifle range opens Friday as part of Your Great Escape
