The Little Things Play Café and Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony and sneak peek of the new business Wednesday, offering guests a preview of the Montessori-inspired play area and café at located at 1332 Hilltop Rd. Suite 1 in St. Joseph.
Owners Brittany and Erik Webb, who moved to Berrien Springs from Chicago in 2017, said they wanted to see the play café concept – which is common in cities like Chicago, come to southwest Michigan.
“We came up with this idea to create a sense of community,” said Brittany Webb, during the ribbon cutting ceremony. “Looking around, I think we did it.”
Older children shrieked with excitement as they ran through the play area. From swings to climbing areas to activities for infants and private party rooms, Little Things has something for a variety of young children.
“Right as we were about to do the ribbon cutting ceremony, a little girl was walking almost for the first time, and her parents were cheering her on,” Brittany Webb said. “It felt like it was like out of a movie. … It’s really enjoyable to see kids having fun, trying things out, climbing and laughing. That’s definitely a highlight of this space.”
Equally as important, the business features a café with coffee and a variety of other drinks and snacks for adults. Several area parents commented that they could see themselves meeting other parents through Little Things.
For the Webbs, that is exactly what they wanted.
“We have been overwhelmed by all the support,” Brittany said. “Such positive feedback from the community. Seeing it actually come together today is really what the concept is about – having a space where you can meet people in person, shake their hand, have a conversation. I’m really excited. I know I’m going to be bringing my kids here and we hope to meet younger families that we can have relationships with.”
Brittany said there already have been a lot of people inquiring about memberships, discounts and birthday parties. They have two private rooms available for rent, but they are still under construction and likely won’t be ready until sometime this winter, according to Erik.
The Little Things Play Café is also offering annual membership benefit and packages for area companies to offer their employees. They are hoping this will give businesses some added incentives in their efforts to recruit talent to the area.
“The core of these memberships and packages are to show the talent pool looking at our area that we are a strong community that cares about life outside work,” Brittany said. “That it’s not just about the time spent from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. One of the great things about our locally based companies is they understand that having a strong support system for families outside of work creates a better work-life balance, and that creates more satisfaction on the job.”
Open Play pricing is $14 per child which covers one free adult per child and an hour and 45-minute time frame, with start times happening every two hours. While reservations for drop-in play is not required, it is encouraged to book via the website at TheLittleThingsPlayCafe.com.
Take a look at our exclusive video of the space (click “Watch on Facebook”):
