Nurture to Play is a unique combination of a coffee shop and an indoor play space that prioritizes safety, imagination, and play for parents. The play cafe will host a grand opening on Saturday, February 15. Their space offers something for everyone, from imaginative play spaces and cozy café lounge to event rentals and engaging classes. Nurture to Play creates a safe, fun, and nurturing environment for families to connect and thrive together.
After dreaming up their idea in March 2024, Jordan Reinke and Alexis Demuth got to work on bringing their vision to life. Jordan is originally from Iowa, but her husband is from the area; they returned and bought a house in St. Cloud in 2017. Alexis is originally from Sartell. Although she left for college years, she was pulled back to Central MN during the pandemic. “I love being close to my family and the friends I grew up with!”
“Nurture to Play (NTP) is the first business model like this in the Greater St. Cloud area! We are bringing something new and needed to the community. Our space is for children ages six and under. Here, kids can explore and grow while parents can sit back and enjoy a specialty coffee - thanks to Second Street Coffeehouse - without worrying about the noise level or the mess that comes with play. It has been so fun and exciting to meet so many people in this community and hear about their shared feeling of needing a place to let your kids be kids and connect and meet other families.”
This is a space created for families, by families. Jordan is a stay-at-home mom of two littles and is learning to transition from the ‘SAHM Mom’ to juggling adding the title of Business Owner. “Thankfully, the whole idea behind NTP is that we are parents who want to have our children with us, so people have been very understanding when I have my kids in tow!” Alexis works part-time as a contracted dietitian and also runs a private practice, Mother Nurture. “I’m learning to balance putting my whole heart into NTP while balancing my other positions.” They’re moms who get it – plain and simple.
Our community often rallies behind fellow local businesses, and the experience for NTP has been no different. “It has been amazing; the support and care that others have for us and the business is priceless. We have been so fortunate to have so many other businesses as sounding boards and reassure us that we are doing something great no matter how hard it is in the moment,” shared Jordan. “I 100% would reiterate what Jordan said – it's been overwhelming how much support and cheerleaders we had before even opening. There is also something very special about owning a business in the town that raised me. I loved growing up here and feel so excited to give back to this town,” added Alexis.
Now that their space is ready to open, the focus has shifted to getting the word out about their offerings. “Telling your friends and following (and sharing!) on social media is a huge help for us. Our goal is to reach as many caregivers as possible and let them know we have a space for them to come and just be – for the children and their families.” You can find NTP on Instagram or Facebook or visit their website for information on drop-ins, membership, rentals, and more.
If time well spent is among your resolutions for 2025, check out Nurture to Play! “Families and young children are at the heart of this business. We truly want to be a place of comfort and fun, and we want to show up for the caregivers as much as we do for the children.”
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