The indoor rock climbing trend continues to attract new enthusiasts who are intrigued not only by the sport’s physical demands, but by the mental concentration required to configure each movement upwards. The sport’s popularity in the U.S. was especially buoyed by its debut at the summer Olympics last year, and rock climbing continues to see a rise in national interest.
Though indoor rock climbing tends to appeal to adults who thrive on the challenge of the activity, ClimbZone is an indoor rock climbing franchise brand geared specifically to the younger age group. Its climbing panels feature whimsical images such as a Mount Rushmore recreation or a rocket theme, and are up to 25 feet high, as opposed to other adult-themed rock climbing panels that can reach as high as 45 feet.
“At ClimbZone, our climbing panels are focused on fun, and not on intensity,” said Yechiel Ebstein, managing partner of ClimbZone. “We are not about the competitive aspect, but rather the fun and even the artistic aspect, because our themed climbing walls are colorful and vibrant.”
Locations are accessible for all ages and are family friendly.
This child-geared niche in the rock climbing category is what makes ClimbZone unique, and the concept works well in destination-themed retail centers that have other non-competing child-recreational brands as co-tenants.
“Our facilities work great in densely populated areas within bigger cities,” Ebstein said. “Though we’d prefer to be in retail-heavy destinations, our concept will also work in semi-industrial spaces, strip malls, mixed-use plazas and even former wholesale stores, theaters or restaurants, provided the space provides 28 feet of ceilings and adequate parking.”
This summer, the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., will feature a smaller sized version of a typical ClimbZone unit, at 8,000 square feet, and the site will have its own theme-park-style entrance. A similar-sized unit at the Palisades Center in West Nyack, N.Y., is expected to open within the next month or so. The franchise continues to search for ideal spots throughout the U.S., so don’t be surprised if a ClimbZone venue shows up in a location near you in the very near future.
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