Indoor playground, cafe with coffee and alcohol, to open in Tacoma. Have a look
Next month Tacoma’s Stadium District will be getting an exciting new addition. A play cafe for young kids with space for parents to work, grab a bite and catch up with friends.
The News Tribune got a special look inside the Sunrise Play Cafe, 204 St. Helens Ave, on Thursday. It was very different from the empty space The News Tribune toured last September.
Through two pink doors is a new coffee shop and cafe and a large seating area. Beyond is a colorful custom 1,400-square-foot play structure with slides, stairs and a climbing wall. There’s a small kitchen with fake pastries and cooking utensils. Children can pluck plush carrots and eggplants from the ground. There’s also a fire station and hospital, with costumes for the kids to dress up in.
Owners Jordan Zenisek and Susan Saccone said they wanted to encourage kids to engage in hands-on activities that mirror reality.
“We’ll have a little railroad track that goes along this wall,” Zenisek said Thursday.
The cafe’s grand opening date is yet to be announced, but it will be in April, Saccone said. She encouraged people to sign up for their online newsletter and monitor their website, Facebook or Instagram to learn more.
On Thursday The News Tribune got a look at the cafe’s menu, which includes waffles, sandwiches, avocado toasts, cheese and fruit plates, flat breads, salads and soups. Zenisek said Sunrise Play Cafe will partner with local bakeries to offer fresh baked goods, and Saccone said a coffee window will open soon.
The kids’ menu features waffles, macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, flatbreads and healthy sides like fruit, carrot chips, pretzels and hummus and vegetables. All kids’ meals come on a silicone plate that can stick to the table, Saccone said.
To drink, the cafe will offer coffee, tea and espresso drinks, as well as hot chocolate, smoothies and lemonade. There will be three types of beer on tap, in addition to local wines and mimosas. Zenisek said adults will be limited to two alcoholic drinks (although there’s not a limit during adults-only events after hours).
A kids cafe, designed with parents in mind
Zenisek and Saccone are moms to young kids and said they designed the cafe with parents in mind. Counter seating next to the play structure allows parents to watch their kids while enjoying lunch or catching up on work. Healthy meals and to-go salads will be ready for those on the go. Cubbies are large enough to accommodate diaper bags and purses, and there’s room for stroller parking.
Near the bathrooms is a private “nursing nook” with a rocking chair and a dimming lamp. The bathrooms are stocked with diapers, wipes and toilet-seat attachments for kids.
Later this summer Zenisek and Saccone plan to open the yard space outside. They’ll be able to host birthday parties and parent groups. There will be board games and other activities for older kids to play with as well.
In terms of their cleaning regimen, Saccone said there are hand-sanitizer stations everywhere, and staff will spray down all the play equipment every 30 minutes with an organic, non-toxic, eco-friendly, sensitive skin-friendly solution. Every night staff will also do a deep clean, she said.
Rates and events
The Sunrise Play Cafe is now hiring. Private soft opening events will start mid-April, with limited hours from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. a couple days a week, Zenisek said. When the cafe fully opens, it will be open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from 6-8 p.m. for private events, she said. They’ll start booking birthday parties in May.
Memberships will go on sale by April 10, Zenisek said.
The rates are:
- Drop-in rate (2 hours): $20 per child, with additional discounts for siblings, and if you follow them on social media
- $120 for 10 play passes
- $75/monthly membership, with $25 to add additional siblings
- $800/annual membership
- $1,000/annual founding membership, with one free non-alcoholic drink per visit
