The Playce, a new indoor play café coming to Jasper
This fall, local parents and anyone looking for a fun place for their children to play while they sip a great coffee or smoothie will potentially have a new favorite spot.
Ellie and Ruger Kerstiens plan on opening The Playce in the former Seven Seas location at 248 E. Third Street in Jasper, providing more than 2,500 square feet of indoor play area with slides and more for children eight and under as well as a special section set aside for children under two.
The idea formed as Ellie moved into a new role as a mother of her and Ruger’s first child, Kollyns. The IUPUI grad with a degree in health science decided that she wanted to be a stay-at-home mom but soon realized how isolating that can be at times.
“Trying to get out — with a young baby especially — can be difficult,” Ellie said while acknowledging the many great facilities available in Jasper. “Jasper has plentiful opportunities for young families. We have the cultural center and the museum, and I’ve been to programs at both of those places.”
But, Ellie was looking for a way to meet with friends without having to ensure her own house was ready for guests with young children (“Is my kitchen clean? Did I sanitize all the toys?”) or worry about creating disruptions with happy or upset, young children in those more public spaces.
Plus, she wanted Kollyns to have access to environments that would challenge her to think, interact, explore, and while having a great time.
Now, she and Ruger plan on providing that for those parents wanting to meet up while their kids happily play in a safe and clean environment designed specifically for them in The Playce. The new facility will feature play equipment by a company specializing in high-quality wooden playsets for outdoor and indoor use.
Based on the idea that ‘play is the work of the child,’ The Playce is focused on helping children learn through play that includes parents. All the equipment will have unlimited weight limits, so parents and caregivers don’t necessarily have to just enjoy a coffee or snack while they watch their children play.
“If your kid does want to go on the slide, or like me, I have a younger one who’s just learning to walk, I can go up on the playset and play with them,” Ellie explained.
Special themed rooms will also be available for private parties, and as The Playce continues to develop, more services are planned, like classes and special events.
The Playce will house over 2500 square feet of play space with an indoor playset, slides, mezzanine, and a space designated to children twenty-four months and younger! From Ellie and Ruger’s description of the new business.
With her own family being entrepreneurial, creating the new business wasn’t necessarily a stretch, but being able to partner that background with her own passion for parenthood has been an exciting opportunity for Ellie.
“I remember growing up, I always wanted to be a mom, so when I got to be a mom, I kinda went all in on how to be a mom,” she said.
Sussing out the idea of The Playce combined her passion for motherhood with creating the best opportunities for growth and development for any child in the community. All with great coffee options from Louisville roaster, Quills, fresh-pressed juice (another of Ellie’s passions), and café bites in a large open-concept space.
“We will have a pretty healthy café menu,” Ellie said, adding the menu is still under development. “I am thinking paninis, and I am looking for healthy snacks for children.”
The Playce currently plans on being open ten hours a day, Mondays through Fridays, with flex hours on the weekend for private events and rentals. Those hours are all subject to change as the business opens and gets its footing. Ellie plans on offering daily, monthly and annual passes as well as some seasonal passes for summer, fall, spring, and winter breaks.
You can follow them on Facebook as they progress. You can also reach out by email here: theplaycellc@gmail.com
Ellie can’t wait to open up this fall and bring this new business to the area.
