Hi, my name is Melissa Swan. Opening up this business has been a dream of mine and my husband Ron's for a very long time, and we spent many years convincing ourselves that the challenge of owning our own business would be too daunting. But last June, I made the bold decision to leave my teaching job (I taught German and Language Arts at the secondary level) and make this dream a possibility for my family.
I wanted this cafe to reflect my own needs as a mom and my own values: We serve amazing coffee from Happy Cup Coffee Company, good food for parents and kids alike, and we have free WiFi. In addition to those things, we have a brand-new climbing structure to fit the space, and our toys and playthings are in rotation.
It is our greatest hope that neighborhood families will make the Pied Piper Play Cafe one of their favorite places to visit. We want parents to find comfort and kids to find endless fun. We want to be a part of the community—hosting “parents’ night out” events and sponsoring special “stay and learn” classes throughout the year. We would also like to offer daily activities (sing-alongs and story hour).