Greenville parents will have a place to work remote while children play at Judson Mill

Austin Motes said he was inspired while attending a birthday party for one of his children's friends.

The party was held at an inflatable facility with "too much commotion and noise," he said.

Moates, who works in construction, then messaged his friend, Daniel Kingsbury, owner and CEO at SC PartyRentals, LLC. The inspiration for Play Cafe at Judson Mill, an indoor play concept in Greenville, was born.

"I said, 'We should do something like this, but just do everything completely opposite,'" Motes said. "We got to brainstorming and visiting facilities outside of the state and took bits and pieces from every one of them and made our creation of a cafe."

Play Cafe at Judson Mill will provide a new option for Greenville parents who work remotely. Construction continues at the indoor play concept, which is slated to open soon.

The play area will give remote workers an opportunity to work while their children play nearby. Entry will require a fee or membership, which is to be determined.

Play Cafe at Judson Mill's lease completes The Warehouse at Judson Mill District.

"We were strategically looking to build out a tenant mix that serves the community and couldn't be more excited that the Warehouse is now fully leased," said James McKay of Avison Young Associates, the listing agent for the mixed-use development. "Austin and Daniel were looking for the best combination of location and flexibility, and their unique business concept made the partnership a win-win."

Play Cafe 'not your typical playground'

Motes said the cafe is "not your typical playground."

Here's why:

∎Play Cafe will occupy 17,000 sq. ft. of "The Warehouse" at Judson Mill. Motes decided to utilize the facility for its high ceilings, making room for tall play structures. There are two play structures, one two stories high and the other, three stories. The structures are netted with slides, tunnels, ladders and climbing structures.

∎Imagination Stations featuring a kitchen, fire and police station, and pet and grocery store will be available for children who do not want to play on the larger structures, giving them an opportunity for hands-on learning and exploration.

∎Kids can trace objects through sensory boards (for example, trace where apples and birds go in trees).

∎There will be plenty of slides from your traditional straight slide to giant tube slides.

∎Plastic ball fountains and a Nerf gun station will also be on site.

A safe place for kids to play, a site for parents to work

After the COVID-19 pandemic, Motes noticed many parents making the transition from working at the office to working remote. Parents are often stretched thin, balancing watching their children and joining Zoom calls.

Motes said Play Cafe is a place where kids can play hard, and parents can work hard.

"We are going to offer monthly memberships for kids to come play, but we're also going to offer a membership so parents can use these rooms to come and work while their kids are playing," Motes said.

To ensure safety, parents and children must wear wristbands with matching information upon entry. Children will not be able to leave without matching the wristband of their parents. Adults without children will not be allowed to enter.

However, you don't have to be on the job to bring your child to play. Motes wants parents to be able to socialize with other parents and relax at the cafe, as well.

"Our main objective on the parent side is for them to come relax. Enjoy coffee, enjoy a snack, eat a pizza or sandwich while they are relaxing. Have the kids play and get some energy out," Motes said.

About Play Cafe menu offerings, party room rentals

Items planned for the Play Cafe menu include coffee, expresso, smoothies, pizza and sandwiches. On the sweet side, the cafe will offer muffins, pastries and coffee cakes.

Moates is aiming to add additional options to the menu.

"For the birthday parties, we will obviously have our pizza option, but we'll also be doing a protein bowl or a protein package where you're doing meat like ham or turkey," he said.

When it comes to party rentals, those looking to book will have the option of 8 party rooms and party packages. There will also be an option available to book multiple playrooms at once.

Adults have shown interest in venturing to the Play Cafe after hours. Motes said this could be a possibility in the future with "Adults Only" play nights hosted once a month.

"I was imagining a brewery. After seven o'clock, we'll have speakers, we'll have music, adults only. We could definitely do that." he said. "In the Nerf area, a Nerf fight would definitely break out in there."

Nina Tran covers trending topics. Reach her via email at ntran@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Greenville's Play Cafe will help parents balance work, play and dining