Amanda Edwards, owner of iSmash on Folly Road
Every now and then, someone moves to Charleston and actually moves the needle.
Meet Amanda Edwards.
She’s from Pittsburgh — which tracks, because I’ve never met someone from Pittsburgh who didn’t have grit baked into their DNA. And Amanda? She’s got it in industrial supply.
A few years back, she moved home to help care for her grandmother who had dementia. Bartended so she could keep a flexible schedule. Lived a mile one way from her grandmother, worked a mile the other way. For a season, her world was small — and meaningful.
When her grandmother passed, so did the reason to stay.
Charleston had always been the goal. So she packed up and came.
No soft landing. No safety net. Just belief.
The Facebook Post That Lit the Fuse
She got into HVAC sales here and quickly learned something a lot of talented people learn: sometimes it’s not the job — it’s who you’re doing it for.
She walked away.
That same week, she saw a Facebook post from two longtime friends announcing they were expanding their rage room franchise: iSmash.
Six new locations.
Amanda messaged them:
“You should open one in Charleston and let me run it.”
They called her back with a better idea:
“Why don’t you buy one?”
So she did.
That’s either mildly insane or wildly impressive. I’m going with impressive.
Why This Wasn’t Just a Business Decision
This part matters.
Amanda didn’t want to jump from one corporate hamster wheel to another. What sold her wasn’t just the concept — it was the people behind it. Family-owned. Accessible leadership. No gatekeepers. Actual humans.
When you’re betting on yourself for the first time, that stuff isn’t fluff. It’s oxygen.
She signed her franchise agreement in August 2024.
Then the real work started.
The “Absolutely Not” That Became 8,500 Square Feet
She wanted Park Circle. She wanted Tanger. She did not want Folly Road.
“I am not going to Folly on a Saturday in the summer,” she said.
Reader: she is on Folly Road.
After months of searching, the space next to Harbor Freight fell apart. The old NAPA Auto Parts next door — 8,500 square feet — became the play. She negotiated the rent down to match what she would’ve paid for the smaller space.
Lease signed April 2025.
Doors open October 2025.
What Actually Happens Inside iSmash Charleston
Corporate parties are a thing at iSmash
Gloves, face guard, jumpsuit and…smashed stuff
Yes, you too can be Jackson Pollock
This place is 8,500 square feet of glorious release.
Smash Sessions
Suit up. Pick your weapon. Blast your music. Destroy glass, electronics, even a windshield if you’re feeling cinematic. It’s controlled chaos — and wildly therapeutic.
Splatter Paint
Full Jackson Pollock energy. Neon paint. Glitter. You walk out with a canvas you made and zero stress left in your shoulders.
Axe Throwing
Coached. Safe. Addictive. Starts at $15. You will absolutely start keeping score.
They host birthdays, team builders, bachelor and bachelorette parties, youth groups — even full corporate buyouts with catering and A/V.
Open six days a week, noon to 8 PM. (Closed Tuesdays — even chaos needs a day off.)
She’s Not Building a Job. She’s Building a Machine.
From day one, Amanda’s goal was simple: build something that runs without her.
Her team leads handle daily operations. She’s focused on growth.
Five locations in five years.
She says it calmly. Like it’s already decided.
And if I’ve learned anything about people who move to Charleston, bet on themselves, and negotiate 8,500-square-foot leases on Folly Road…
It’s this:
Don’t bet against them.
Amanda also thinks Dinner Club is pretty great
The CHS Happenings Hookup 🎉
Amanda is giving our people 15% off.
Use promo code CHSHappenings when you book at iSmash Charleston.
📍 1291 Folly Road, Suite 109, James Island
📞 (843) 793-3709
⏰ Noon–8 PM | Closed Tuesdays
Pro move: fill out your waiver online before you go. Less clipboard. More smashing.
