Two new businesses in the Old School of Cameron

Cre8 family time studio

A new business has opened up in the Old School of Cameron, centered around creativity and fun. Sandee Manz of Cre8 family time studio said she wanted to create a place in Cameron where people could do birthday parties and parents and children could enjoy together, where the parents would not feel like they were in a classroom.

Manz said her daughter held her wedding in the Old School two years ago and she and her family simply fell in love with the building. Being newer residents to Cameron she said the board at the Old School has been very welcoming and supportive of the endeavors she has undertaken.

Cre8 family time studio is located in the basement of the Old School and is decorated in festive vibrant colors and although it does not officially open until Labor Day weekend, children’s art was hanging on the walls.

As of Labor Day weekend, Cre8 will be open on Wednesday and Saturday mornings for Mommy and Me classes, where Moms can bring their children to do crafts, while the moms enjoy a cup of coffee and socialize with each other. The cost is $5 to help cover the costs of supplies and mom gets a free cup of coffee from the self-serve coffee bar.

Cre8 will also offer weekly classes with the theme for September being under the sea, October will be Autumn, and November will be to be thankful. Costs for the weekly classes will be $10.

Manz also has plans to have a teen night to offer a place for teenagers to hang out, listen to music and socialize. Manz said she realizes teens do not have a lot of places to go, other than each other’s houses, especially in the winter. She would welcome clubs or meeting groups to use the space as well.

Old School Escape

The second new business in the basement of the Old School, also run by Sandee Manz and her family is Old School Escape.

Escape rooms have become a very popular group activity and encourage people to work together as they “escape” the room by discovering clues and working through puzzles. The theme of the escape room in the Old School currently is a classroom, because according to Manz, they wanted to tie it into the building itself. But the theme will change every few months.

When groups enter the escape room they watch a two minute video about safety, which has been made fun and silly, but also has important information. The video screen also allows the staff who are watching from the control room for safety reasons to offer clues to the participants should they need them.

Escape rooms can be a great family activity or a team building exercise. Manz said there have been families who came in and thought they couldn’t do it, but it isn’t about the individual ability, it is about working together.

The escape room will be open Labor Weekend on Thursday through Sunday, after that it will be open Thursday through Saturday, both by reservation only. The cost per person is $18.50. The room can be booked for as few as two players, but the recommendation is for at least five.

For more information visit www.oldschoolescape.com.