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Meet Robert Conover of Eludesions Escape Rooms in Northern Phoenix

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Robert Conover.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Robert. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I grew up in Annapolis, Maryland and as a young boy was fascinated with the A-10 Warthog which flew over my childhood home regularly. When I turned 18, I wanted to take flying lessons which my parents were against. So in January of my senior year of high school I left my childhood home and moved in with a friend and his parents, who allowed me to live there until I finished high school. Once I graduated I got my own place with a few friends, enrolled in Community College, and took on three separate jobs to pay for my new lifestyle as well as more flying. In just over two years I received an Associate of Arts degree and my private pilot license. I knew my best chance to become an A-10 pilot would be to join the unit that flies them. So in December of 1991 I enlisted and became an aircraft armament systems specialist or “weapons loader” on the A-10. Immediately after returning from Air Force basic training and tech school I enrolled at the University of Baltimore and returned to private flying. Also during this time I began meeting and generating relationships with many of the pilots of the unit. Just about two years later I graduated from the University of Baltimore on the Deans List with a Bachelor of Science and attained my multi-engine, instrument and commercial FAA pilot ratings. Now having achieved the requirements to apply to fly the A-10, I submitted my application package. In the summer of 1995 I was accepted!

During pilot training, I was proficiency advanced through flight screening at Hondo, Texas, finished the top American out of 32 pilots during pilot training at Euro Nato Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) at Sheppard AFB, Texas, finished Top Graduate at Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals (IFF) at Columbus AFB, MS, and was the Distinguished Graduate and the Top Gun during A-10 school at Davis Monthan AFB, Arizona. Additionally I never failed a ride during my entire flying career. On the third day of pilot training, my first son was born. During my second month of A-10 school, my second son was born. And after returning home to Maryland, I had my third son and my only daughter.

During my career as an A-10 pilot, I served 3 tours overseas, held many positions and earned numerous medals and awards. Finally after 23 years of service in 2014, I retired honorably. Soon after my retirement, the company I was working for, Delta Engineering, asked if I would run a project in Lake Charles, LA. So my wife Charlotte and I sold most everything we owned to make the move. After 6 months, Delta asked if I would move with them to their new location at Flagler Beach, FL, which we happily accepted. Unfortunately after less than a year, Charlotte was suffering from migraines on an average of once a week causing her to be down for a few days at a time. After numerous studies we learned that low pressure systems were triggering her events. So during May of 2016, she left Florida to try living with her dad in Phoenix, AZ. To make a long story short, she never came back to Florida. After living in Arizona for a short while she reported no migraines, much more energy and being able to simply breathe better. So the writing was on the wall and I knew if I wanted to live with my wife I would have to move to Arizona. This meant leaving a 6-figure job, selling a gorgeous home we just purchased, and basically starting again in a place we knew nothing about. As scary as this transition was, I never hesitated. So in September of 2016, I made the cross country trek from Florida to Arizona.

Upon arrival, Charlotte had already rented a home and I had coordinated to go back to flying but in the commercial industry with Mesa Airlines. After three months of training, I was on the line flying the CRJ-900. It was great being back in the air, and I had high hopes of quickly transitioning to a major airline around the summer of 2017. During this time, my wife took her brother and father to an escape room and loved it. On my next break from training, they took myself and my son to play another escape room and we had a blast. They tried to talk me into opening one but I had a full time job that I loved that offered more opportunities. Unfortunately in January of 2017, I suffered an injury that was substantial enough to revoke my flying physical. So after months of unemployment, my wife and I decided to take a big risk and begin an escape room. And that’s how Eludesions Escape Rooms was created.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It was not always a smooth road. In addition to losing my flying medical in 2017, I also lost my father in March. I stayed with my mother for all of March and most of April, caring for her in my childhood home in Annapolis. Even through our family struggles, she and I always had a special bond. I had always promised her that I would never put her in a nursing home and was true to my word. Since my father passed, she really wanted to live with us in Arizona. So Charlotte had to find a new rental house since the one we rented was two-story and not ADA accessible since her health was declining rapidly. In late April she sold her home in Maryland, packed up all of her things and had them moved to Arizona. I got to fly with my mom in first class which was so special to her. She loved flying, and loved that I was a pilot. After we got to Arizona, we had a few nice weeks of enjoying the beautiful weather together. She loved Olive Garden so we would go out to eat as much as we could until she was confined to her bed. Her appetite diminished, and she placed on hospice care here at our home. We spent many days talking about my childhood, the good and bad times in life, and how excited she was to see the escape room that we had begun building. Sadly, she passed the morning of July 31st, just a few months before our grand opening. On the wall at Eludesions is a plaque that reads “Eludesions Escape Rooms is dedicated to the memory of my mother Rose Marie Conover, without whom I could not have accomplished so much”.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Eludesions Escape Rooms story. Tell us more about the business.
It was our goal when we designed and built Eludesions Escape Rooms to make it one of the top escape rooms in the industry. We sought the custom designs of two separate escape room builders who are known for creating Hollywood style sets. We contracted both builders to build two rooms each. While the rooms were being built at their location, we were busy gutting and renovating a 6,000 square foot facility. It was our purpose with our layout and design to give the “wow factor” to our guests as soon as they enter the front door. And that is exactly what we’ve accomplished. Each of our games are unique, custom, and full of phenomenal gameplay that is scripted to match its respective theme. Our lobby is very large and offers seating for 40, which is unlike any other escape room around. More than that, we have assembled a staff that is professional and courteous which give our guests a “Disney-like” experience from the second they walk in the door. Since our grand opening on October 27th, we’ve seen a steady increase in sales and have received nothing but 5-star reviews on every platform to include Google, Yelp, Travelocity, etc. We are not an escape room that’s in it solely for the money. We have created this business to give our guests something that very few escape rooms offer throughout the country – a clean facility, permitted by the city of Phoenix, with amazing sets and outstanding gameplay. And we’ve succeeded.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Not a big believer in luck, unless its dice or cards. I believe things happen for a reason, good or bad. It’s what you do when these things happen that defines you as a person. It’s easy when things are great – but the true test is when things are not.

Pricing:

  • Our normal pricing is $29.95 per person plus tax. We do not charge a booking fee.
  • We also offer pricing for corporate events and parties during off hours. We are literally willing to host an event at any time 24 hours a day – 7 days a week.

Contact Info:

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

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