Fremont is a vibrant neighborhood, where creativity, charm, and a thriving small business scene can all be found. We’ve been lucky enough to call this neighbourhood home for almost a decade! Whether you’re in the mood for for shopping, eats, or adventure, Fremont has something for everyone. From iconic landmarks to scenic beauty, our neighborhood offers serious local flair. Here is our neighbourhood guide to Fremont, Seattle, with just a few of our favourite spots that we think you should check out!

Nature & Landamarks:

Image Credits: Locurio

Fremont Troll: A must-see in Fremont is the Fremont Troll, a whimsical sculpture located beneath the Aurora Bridge. Standing 18 feet tall, this concrete giant, created in 1990, grips a real Volkswagen Beetle in its hand. The troll was designed to revitalize a neglected space and has since become a beloved local icon. Visitors from all over come to snap photos and marvel at its massive but quirky charm. The Fremont Troll is one of the intriguing locations you’ll visit in our outdoor puzzle adventure The Mysteries of Noximillian.

Gas Works Park:  Located on the site of a former gasification plant, Gas Works is a unique and scenic spot. The park features preserved remnants from the land’s industrial days alongside expansive open areas, offering stunning views of Lake Union and the Seattle skyline. It’s an ideal place for a picnic, a leisurely walk, or simply enjoying a break from the city hustle.

Eat & Drink

Image Credits: Shawn O ‘Donnell’s

Shawn O’Donnell’s: Fancy a pint? Shawn O’Donnell’s offers a blend of traditional pub fare and a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Known for its hearty portions and classic pub dishes, this pub is a favorite among our staff. With its extensive drink menu, and lively ambiance, Shawn O’Donnell’s is a great local and family-owned spot.

Ian’s Pizza: Ian’s Pizza is a go-to spot for pizza lovers seeking creative and delicious pies. Known for its inventive toppings and flavor combinations, Ian’s offers a range of options from classic favorites to gourmet creations in their NY-style chewy style. A big pie to-go is exactly what our staff needs to stay happy on a busy Saturday!

Mr B’s: Mr. B’s Meadery offers a cozy tasting room with a variety of small-batch meads, blending traditional and bold flavors. It’s a great spot to explore unique, locally crafted drinks in a welcoming setting.

Aslan Brewing: Aslan Brewing offers a vibrant space for craft beer enthusiasts to enjoy a diverse selection of brews. Known for their commitment to high-quality, organic ingredients, Aslan Brewing serves up a range of meticulously crafted beers, making it an ideal spot to unwind and experience Seattle’s craft beer scene.

Image Credits: Fremont Brewing

Local Tide: Local Tide in Fremont is a standout seafood spot that celebrates the fresh, local flavors of the Pacific Northwest. Known for its innovative dishes and commitment to sustainability, Local Tide offers a diverse menu featuring everything from fresh seafood favorites to unique seasonal specials.

Made in House: Made in House is a popular spot that specializes in fresh, homemade comfort food. With a focus on locally sourced ingredients and traditional recipes, this restaurant is known as one of Seattle’s best, and offers a range of delicious dishes.

Fremont Brewing Company: Fremont Brewing Company is a popular eco-friendly brewery in Fremont, Seattle, known for its craft beers and relaxing Beer Garden. Enjoy a wide selection of locally brewed beers in a laid-back, dog-friendly setting, making it a perfect stop for beer enthusiasts & patio lovers.

Fainting Goat Gelato: Fainting Goat Gelato serves up rich, handcrafted gelato with a variety of inventive and classic flavors. The shop prides itself on using fresh, local ingredients and creating small batches to ensure each scoop is memorable.

Image Credits: Fainting Goat Instagram

Simply Desserts: Simply Desserts is a delightful bakery offering a range of handmade sweets, including rich cakes, pastries, and artisanal cookies. Known for its high-quality ingredients and cozy atmosphere, it’s the perfect spot to indulge in delicious, handcrafted treats.

Kirei Poke: Kirei Poke in serves up fresh, customizable poke bowls with a focus on quality ingredients and vibrant flavors. Guests can choose from a variety of seafood, toppings, and sauces to create a personalized and satisfying meal.

Royal Grinders: Royal Grinders is renowned for its hearty, flavorful sandwiches and grinders. With a menu featuring a range of robustly seasoned meats, fresh veggies, and condiments, Royal Grinders delivers satisfying and delicious sandwiches that we cant seem to stay away from.

Theo Chocolate: Theo Chocolate is a pioneer in artisanal chocolate making, known for its organic and fair-trade products. Beyond their range of handcrafted chocolates, the shop also offers engaging tours and tastings for an immersive chocolate experience.

Shop & Explore

Image Credits: Locurio

How about an escape room? Of course we had to include ourselves! Located in the heart of Fremont, we welcome escape room novices and enthusiasts alike from all over the world. Known for our immersive storytelling, intricate puzzles, and detailed set designs, we like to think we offer unique escape room adventures that challenge the mind and uplift the imagination. Each escape room is crafted to engage players with multi-layered puzzles and unique surprises.

Mysteries of of Noximillian – We created this outdoor puzzle hunt to bring the magic of an escape room to the streets of Fremont. This unique adventure takes players through the Fremont neighbourhood, where they use the iconic landmarks, attractions, and artistic installations as settings to find clues and solve puzzles. We wanted to blend the thrill of an escape room with the exploration of Fremont’s vibrant streets, offering a fresh way to experience the neighborhood’s charm and creativity. This game is tied into the storyline of our first escape room, The Vanishing Act, which means we are able to do a bit of world building, which is always fun!

Image Credits: Fremont Sunday Market Instagram

Fremont Sunday Market: The Fremont Sunday Market is a lively open-air market that showcases the best of local craftsmanship and vintage treasures. Held year-round, rain or shine, it features an eclectic mix of vendors offering handmade jewelry, artisan foods, clothing, antiques, and quirky collectibles. It’s not just a place to shop, but also a vibrant community hub where both locals and visitors gather to enjoy live music, street food, and creative energy.

Fremont’s Vintage Row: Fremont’s Vintage Row is an area in Seattle known for its eclectic mix of vintage and antique shops. It’s a haven for those seeking unique finds, from retro clothing and mid-century furniture to collectibles. Each shop offers a distinct personality, making it a unique destination for anyone interested in discovering one-of-a-kind treasures and distinctive, nostalgic finds. It’s located along North 36th Street between Fremont Avenue North and Evanston Avenue North.

The Fremont website (by the Fremont Chamber of Commerce) is also a great way to keep up with whats happening in our neighbourhood. We hope you enjoy your visit here in Fremont, and grow to love this neighbourhood as much as we do. We are so blessed to a part of a community that truly understands the importance of supporting local!

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In our experience, the vast majority of escape rooms have no real ending. Often you’re greeted by a member of the staff who either congratulates you on successfully escaping or offers you condolences for not quite making it out. The game itself, however, ends abruptly.

To me, an escape room without an ending is very jarring. For the last hour I’ve been amped up on the adrenaline that comes from trying to beat the clock, full of the excitement that comes from overcoming a challenge, and brimming with curiosity to see how it all plays out.  I’ve just spent a significant amount of time building up emotional pressure as I get closer and closer to the finish line and then suddenly . . . nothing.

Locurio is, at its heart, an immersive experiences company, and our goal is to always justify our settings, challenges, and puzzles in the context of some narrative. We think that this provides a more cohesive experience that is easier to lose one’s self in and requires a little less suspension of disbelief.  Our hope is that you’ll feel transported to another world, a far away place, full of magic and mystery.  For this to provide a lasting impression of reality, however, we also need to make sure that we bring you back.  Just as the denouement in literature brings normalcy back into the characters’ lives, a good game ending serves as a bridge between worlds for players, ushering them back gently and providing narrative closure.

Another thing to consider is the fact that escape rooms have two different endings: one in which the players escape and one in which they don’t.  Since our goal is to entertain our players, it’s very tempting to focus on the winning scenario when designing a room because it’s more fun. When players are successful they get to experience the entire room as intended, they solve all of the puzzles, and they are the heroes of the story. They’re happy, we’re happy, everybody wins! But we can’t ignore the other ending. Those players who fail to escape (which is probably most of them!) miss out on the sense of accomplishment that comes with escaping. Without this, their last impression of the room may very well be one of disappointment.

If you’re designing an escape room or any immersive experience I encourage you to consider the ways in which it ends, how these endings affect your players, and what sort of lasting impressions they leave your players with.

So what do you think?  Have you seen a game ending that you particularly liked? Do you not care whether or not there is an ending?  How do you feel when an escape room just . . . ends?

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Locurio founders Summer Herrick and Natalie Parisi at the 2016 Child’s Play charity auction

Locurio is immensely proud to have helped Child’s Play raise over $160K at their event – we believe in giving back and supporting various causes when we can, and we hope that our donated auction items bring as much joy to their winners as being a part of the Child’s Play community has brought to us.

We love our wonderful Seattle gaming family! Many thanks to all of you who have shown your support for Locurio, and if you are interested in donating to Child’s Play, you can find more information on their website.

Child’s Play seeks to improve the lives of children in hospitals and domestic violence shelters through the generosity and kindness of the video game industry and the power of play. (Courtesy of childsplaycharity.org)

Summer and Natalie with Lyla Morris, ENGAGE Program Manager at Card Kingdom

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We are absolutely thrilled and completely flattered to be named on Room Escape Artist’s 2016 Golden Lock-In Award list!!

David and Lisa Spira, the lovely people behind Room Escape Artist, took the time to come play The Vanishing Act when they stopped in Seattle last Spring, and we are so glad that they did! All of us at Locurio greatly respect the work that Lisa and David do and value their opinions highly.

If you’re an Escape Game enthusiast, we highly recommend checking out the Room Escape Artist site, as their reviews are insightful and spot-on, all while managing to avoid spoilers. A truly impressive feat of puzzling!

Thank you to Room Escape Artist for the honor, and thank you to all of our friends, family, and fans for your continued support and love. Here’s to more excitement and fun in 2017!

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