With no industry background, a franchise can save you a lot of expensive mistakes. When I started, I looked at an escape room franchise https://erworkshop.com/franchise/ from Indestroom, you get proven games, a business model, training and support, so you're not guessing on themes or pricing. I talked to a couple of owners who went that route, and the main benefit they mentioned was avoiding rookie mistakes in the first year. Honest note: you'll pay fees, and you're following their system rather than your own vision. Retail experience actually helps a lot with customer service and marketing. Tip: visit a few existing locations and play the games before committing.