-||- FERN COLLAPSED OUR ROOF -||-
UPDATED: 31 JANUARY 2026
|
|
|
Winter Storm Fern did not make idle threats as she covered downtown Hot Springs in multiple layers of sleet and snow, followed by another week of below-freezing temps. While our kids enjoyed an extended snow break, the deck roof above A Narrow Escape did not. As you can see in the photos, the weight of the snow and ice caused multiple joint failures along the length of the roof. We feel EXTREMELY fortunate to say that no staff, customers, or pedestrians were present when the roof collapsed. Everything else can be cleaned and fixed, so we consider this to be a happy undertaking.
Most of our custom-made deck games will need to be rebuilt, and the store was rendered inaccessible until the roofing material can be safely disassembled and removed. We want to give a big shoutout to Davie, Ivan, Billy Wooten Construction, first responders of Hot Springs, and everyone at Spencer’s Corner for working so hard to help us open back up! We also want to thank Connor, Amanda, Karina, Brandee, Stephen, Stormy, David, Kody, and every single other amazing person who checked in or offered help from day 1. Bad things happen every day, and we were lucky to be surrounded by such a great community when they happened to us.
We hope to be able to open games again on Friday, February 6. Unfortunately, Fern left us with a big bill after a two-week closure and damaged games during our slowest time of year. We are taking it one day at a time, putting everything back together along the way, but we wanted to take this opportunity to promote our online gift cards, for anyone who might want to offer support as we patch things up.
Online gift cards are easy to purchase with just a few clicks – they go right to your email! They are a great gift for birthdays, upcoming grads, or more casual gift-giving for anyone looking to bring friends and family together with a puzzle-solving adventure 🔎 Even better – online gift cards don’t expire. Supporting us during these repairs means that you can help a local business pull things together AND enjoy a game any time you like down the road.
If you are interested in supporting us, but might not like to purchase a gift card, there is also a link available to donate to our recovery fund. We will include the names of all donors and those purchasing gift cards in a list of thanks at the end of our reconstruction, with permission.
We are grateful to everyone for ALL kinds of support during this time of distress – even just helping to spread the word or sending us a message of encouragement. The coldest days of winter may still be ahead, but they will be gone, soon enough. Every kind word makes them pass that much faster.
So, from our family to yours: THANK YOU!!
Most of our custom-made deck games will need to be rebuilt, and the store was rendered inaccessible until the roofing material can be safely disassembled and removed. We want to give a big shoutout to Davie, Ivan, Billy Wooten Construction, first responders of Hot Springs, and everyone at Spencer’s Corner for working so hard to help us open back up! We also want to thank Connor, Amanda, Karina, Brandee, Stephen, Stormy, David, Kody, and every single other amazing person who checked in or offered help from day 1. Bad things happen every day, and we were lucky to be surrounded by such a great community when they happened to us.
We hope to be able to open games again on Friday, February 6. Unfortunately, Fern left us with a big bill after a two-week closure and damaged games during our slowest time of year. We are taking it one day at a time, putting everything back together along the way, but we wanted to take this opportunity to promote our online gift cards, for anyone who might want to offer support as we patch things up.
Online gift cards are easy to purchase with just a few clicks – they go right to your email! They are a great gift for birthdays, upcoming grads, or more casual gift-giving for anyone looking to bring friends and family together with a puzzle-solving adventure 🔎 Even better – online gift cards don’t expire. Supporting us during these repairs means that you can help a local business pull things together AND enjoy a game any time you like down the road.
If you are interested in supporting us, but might not like to purchase a gift card, there is also a link available to donate to our recovery fund. We will include the names of all donors and those purchasing gift cards in a list of thanks at the end of our reconstruction, with permission.
We are grateful to everyone for ALL kinds of support during this time of distress – even just helping to spread the word or sending us a message of encouragement. The coldest days of winter may still be ahead, but they will be gone, soon enough. Every kind word makes them pass that much faster.
So, from our family to yours: THANK YOU!!