The “There’s-nothing-to-do-in-Champaign” banality took another hit recently.
JJ’s FunHouse, a virtual reality lounge in Champaign, had a soft opening in January and has received a positive response from customers ever since.
“People are very interested in what it is, and it’s been a blessing,” said co-owner Marcus Johnson of Champaign. “We’re truly grateful for all of it. It’s been wonderful.”
JJ’s FunHouse, located at 45 E. Marketview Dr., had a ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening in late May, showing off its unique-to-Champaign offerings. While a few other C-U businesses boast a similar slate of offerings — such as escape rooms or laser tag — JJ’s FunHouse takes a unique slant on those activities.
The reason: virtual reality.
“We have currently nine VR escape rooms,” Johnson said. “The other thing is our laser tag, which is (a maximum of) six people in five environments. You could be in a spaceship, you could be on a pirate landing, you could be in a snow town. As you’re playing it, it makes you feel like you’re playing five games at once. And it lasts probably about 30-45 minutes, depending on game play.
“The escape rooms last about 45 minutes to about an hour. If you can beat it in 45 minutes, that’s great. If you need more time, we’ll give you more time. The main thing is we want you to enjoy the experience. You can do it with your family, everybody can see each other in virtual reality. You can do it with your friends, you can do it for date night.”
A similar business, called Mass VR, was open in Bloomington before closing permanently in January. Otherwise, there is no known VR entertainment option of this type in the C-U region.
JJ’s FunHouse is co-owned by Marcus Johnson’s father, James, a.k.a. JJ. Marcus grew up in Champaign, attended and worked at Parkland College, moved away, then came back home and started the business with his family.
“It’s wholesome family fun and also for group nights, date nights, just a great experience for everybody,” Marcus Johnson said. “We’ve got more activities coming for the little ones. Right now it’s (for ages) 11 and up but that’s because of safety reasons. We can go as young as 8 if you’re playing with a family.”
JJ’s FunHouse is open daily from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Customers are encouraged to book their sessions online but walk-ins can be accommodated, Johnson said.