By Ethan Kispert
With the goal of providing a safe and welcoming space for everyone, The Nemesis Club serves as an underground area where friends can get together and roleplay as their favorite superheroes and villains.
What makes this place really exciting is how you enter. Soda Jerk Co., located at High Street, is its own milkshake bar while also being the location of a secret entrance to the club. When walking up, mention a “secret code” to an employee up front and you’ll be guided to the back where everything goes down. A hidden door connected to a dimly lit hallway takes you to the main area where everyone gathers.
The idea behind The Nemesis Club is to have a place where friends can gather together and harness their competitive nature while competing in user-created challenges. The aspect of unpredictability is really what makes The Nemesis Club so unique and helps facilitate a lot of what goes on during the day.
On any given day, groups are presented with a range of different settings, puzzles, soundtracks, special effects, and pretty much whatever else they can think of to help make the experience more surreal. Once everyone groups up and gets organized, one hour is given to all the members to, in a sense, “prove” their worth to the group by doing things such as foiling evil plots or pulling off what are known as “capers.”
While all of this is unfolding, there’s a sidekick, or henchman, who will remotely monitor what’s going on and also provide tips to help increase the players’ odds of winning. The club features two to three different game types with a capacity of eight to ten players per game. This structure is great during the pandemic because each of the games are private, eliminating the risk of exposure from playing with strangers. Soda Jerk Co. is connected to The Nemesis Club for a reason. When the activities are wrapped up and the victor emerges, the group then enjoys what they call a “Killer Milkshake.”
Soda Jerk Co. was started in October 2020 by Kylee and Dustin Smith. It has become a bit of an icon at High Street, where they’re known for their wacky and over-the-top milkshakes that have a modern twist on an old favorite. This shop also serves as a great entry point to the club since it helps to draw visitors in and get them acquainted with what’s going on.
Much of the inspiration behind the creation of The Nemesis Club has spurred from Kylee and Dustin’s experience in the entertainment industry. They both have helped consult and lead entertainment organizations for nearly 20 years, doing a range of things from designing theme parks to creating ideas for birthday parties and restaurant concepts. This experience serves as the backbone behind the creation of The Nemesis Club, where family and friends can get together and foster a creative environment while having a blast at the same time.
The Nemesis Club is open and taking reservations for games. It is located behind Soda Jerk Co. at 5350 E High Street, #109. For more information, visit thenemesisclub.com.
