Exit 4 Franchise

Exit 4 began with five friends whose backgrounds included customer service, home renovation, filmmaking and entertainment. In April 2016, they opened Escape Room South Jersey in Collingswood, New Jersey. A second location opened in Glassboro in July 2017.

In 2018, the team developed the business into a franchise concept and adopted the name Exit 4 Private Escape Rooms, referencing the New Jersey Turnpike exit near its first location. The founders are Derek Lindeman, Anne Lindeman, Jake Matthews, Jesse Hall and Chris Borzell. Their work combined creative direction and storytelling with customer service, room building and retail operations.

The brand’s design approach includes rooms developed and tested in its workshop, with attention to installation and replacing older experiences. Today its official website presents themed adventures ranging from pirate and dinosaur stories to a wizard’s shop and a 1990s video store. Room availability varies by location, while private group bookings remain a central feature.

Exit 4’s official franchise site states that initial training takes place at headquarters. It describes a structured operating model with defined processes and reordering systems, plus staffing tools to help owners identify employees and train their teams. The public pages do not specify a training duration or detailed attendance requirements.

Pre-opening assistance includes scouting sites using the company’s location criteria, help with leasing and zoning, and coordination around permits, architecture and contractors. The company describes building escape rooms off-site while supporting the location’s on-site preparation.

The advertised support model also includes room installation and maintenance, website resources, graphics and marketing. Founder responsibilities include advising in-store operations and designing, building and testing room experiences. These resources give an owner practical support around both the attraction and its daily operation; the specific services, costs and commitments are established by the franchise agreement.

Exit 4 may appeal to an owner who wants to run a local entertainment destination centered on storytelling and group participation. Private bookings keep each adventure exclusive to the customer’s own party, offering a clear experience for family outings, celebrations and team-building events.

The brand combines original room concepts with a workshop-based approach to construction and installation. That may be particularly attractive to a business operator who enjoys hospitality and team leadership but wants support developing the physical attraction. Strong guest communication, attentive game hosting and dependable room upkeep are central to delivering the experience.

Continue your research with our Exit 4 escape-room business guide.