TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — "A lot of people have rage, man, a lot of people have stress."
Connor Franulovich knows. He sees it every day.
But before the mayhem ensues inside the smash room at The Breaking Point; before the bats and the bottles and the chaos that's about to boil over, he takes the proper precautions to get would be vandals suited up.
"Feet first then arms .. supersize the front side..." Connor instructs and preps the deliberate delinquents.
"The number one thing we're concerned about here guys is your safety. Y'all are the most dangerous thing in the entire room," Connor said.
I know a thing or two about these hooligans because among them are my kids and their friends; teens ready to wreak havoc in a controlled setting.
"We wanted to do something fun. We wanted to do something a little different," Connor told me.
And that fun little business has turned into a Tucson success story 7 years running for Connor and his brother who expanded to this space and now have a handful of employees.
"We built the brand out of the back of a warehouse just two young kids who had a dream you know?"
The theme of The Breaking Point could be a space to leave the confines of the world behind in a colorful realm that allows for expression from both young and old. Some of the items that bear the brunt of that escape?
"A washing machine... some tile... some bottles," listed elementary school student Aiden, who had a lot of fun with his family.
Things that are easily replaced but does the destruction really help?
In a report titled "Stress in America" last fall, The American Psychological Association published that the average American feels and average amount of stress. That would be a five on a 1 - 10 scale.
And that's the norm year after year with things like politics, healthcare, crime, the environment and global conflict showing as the top stressors. But just getting through the work day is enough to get some through the door for a little damage control.
"I think I had a pretty stressful week. I'm getting closer to spring break kind of vibes. I thought it would be fun to try something new that I hadn't tried out yet," Armando Ramirez told me. He's visiting The Breaking Point for the first time.
And that's what Connor is really aiming for, some temporary recognition and expression, that allows customers to let it all out before reigning it back in.
"It's like that natural endorphin release. So it's very akin to like lifting weights or going for a run because it's really physical."
The Breaking Point
5740 E Broadway Blvd
Tucson, AZ 85711
https://www.thebreakingpointtucson.com
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Dan Spindle co-anchors Good Morning Tucson on KGUN 9 and is an award-winning storyteller whose work has earned him honors from the Rocky Mountain Southwest Emmys, the Associated Press and the Utah Society of Professional Journalists for both anchoring and reporting. Dan is passionate about history and loves to explore the Grand Canyon State. Share your story ideas with Dan by emailing dan.spindle@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, or X.
