iSmash is expanding to Burbank this year, marking the second location in the state for the rage room franchise. Franchisee Rocky Slaughter is opening the location in a 6,000-square-foot space at 328 N. San Fernando Blvd this summer.
Slaughter has worked in tech for a long time and was searching for a high-quality entertainment retail concept to bring to the area. A Los Angeles native, he was interested in bringing a concept to the San Fernando Valley.
After visiting the iSmash location in Las Vegas and experiencing it firsthand, Slaughter decided to take the leap into franchising with the brand to bring a fun, safe, clean and affordable experience to the community.
“I want to entertain people and give them something fun and different to do,” Slaughter told What Now Los Angeles “Having experienced it myself, I fell in love with the entire concept of it.”
The forthcoming location will feature multiple experiences, including four smash rooms, two splatter paint rooms and a newer game called floor frenzy featuring LED lighting on the floor with different activity options.
“We’re having three entirely different experiences so people can try everything,” Slaughter said.
The team is currently securing building permits and is targeting an August opening.
From here, Slaughter hopes to expand his footprint in the Los Angeles area, eyeing areas such as Santa Clarita, Pasadena and Thousand Oaks. He is hoping to eventually expand to five locations with iSmash.
The franchise has been making its way across the country, with multiple locations in the works. Currently, there are 15 locations open across 10 states, with one existing California location in Pleasanton. iSmash CEO Steven Shortino recently told What Now that they have more than 100 committed franchise units and are hoping to have 35-40 locations open by the end of 2026. They hope to hit the 100-unit benchmark by 2028.
“We want to be in most major cities, coast to coast, and to be a dominant player in the entertainment industry,” Shortino said.
