Rock Star in the making!
An Authentic VW Bus turned play structure
Bebe Bird takes the wheel in Frolic!'s VW Bus-Free Spirit!
Bebe Birds (BB): What was your inspiration for a rock-n-roll themed play space?
Frolic!-Carey: My husband is a concert production manager and we have pictures of Mick Jagger, Ozzy Osborne and signed memorabilia everywhere. During those play dates the kids would play around on the guitars while listening to classic rock on the radio. Everyone-parents, nannies & kids alike, would bond through music. There was such a great energy and vibe. When Julia and I decided to open Frolic! we asked ourselves: "What's going to make us unique and special? What do we love?" The answers were simple-we love going to concerts, Julia at one point was going almost every week, and we love music and good coffee. We wanted to create a space that was aesthetically pleasing for parents too. A place for the whole family not just the kids. We wanted a community. That's why we made Frolic! membership based-to create this community. Anyway, the rock-n-roll was a big inspiration and we wanted the kids to learn about rock. It's also something everyone could relate to.
Lip & Tongue Slide inspired by the Rolling Stones
Frolic! (Julia): Well, we knew we really liked rock-n-roll but didn't want it to be another Hard Rock Cafe. We wanted Frolic! to be very artsy and creative. We thought, what gives you that feeling of freedom and rock-n-roll? A VW Bus! So, that was number one. We wanted proprietary items. Things that no one could buy at the store. Things that were museum type quality. Our number one was being in line with safety and quality. We did a ton of research & went with the experts who already had a track record, Roto, a studio that worked with the children's museum's and science museum's in Manhattan. They were able to give us the best materials. We sent the bus to them and they turned an authentic VW bus into an interactive play structure using only the highest quality material & safety standards. Every structure at Frolic! has a story.
BB: Can you share the story behind the creation of the interactive video wall ?
Frolic! (J): For the video wall we asked ourselves again "What would you find in a museum? What could we call our own that would be Frolic! ?" We found these video artists who created the graphics for us and the music and the whole technology around it. These artists also exhibited at Moma. We looked for top quality partners so that everything we offer is that special-'wow' factor!
Carey Balogh on the left and Julia Dawson on the right owners/creators of Frolic!
Frolic! (C): They love it! They are there almost every single day. What we found is, Frolic! created a community for the kids. You know, kids are so social and they get to play with other kids here. They learn about sharing and they definitely get a lot out of it. Actually, when all of the 2 year old members started preschool this past fall so many parents came to us and said 'We just have to tell you, our kids had no separation anxiety. They are so used to being around other kids.' You see, the kids all know each other from this community and have become really social, which is cool.
BB: Who are some of Frolic!'s most most memorable customers?
Frolic! (C): Well, we've had some celebrities such as Katie Holmes and Suri Cruise. We've also had Kate Hudson and Matthew Bellamy. They came for over 2 hours with their son Bing. Then there's Jemima Kirke from the T.V. show Girls. She also happens to be the daughter of Simon Kirke, the drummer from Bad Company. I'm actually not excited about Girls, I just love that there is this connection to this great classic rock band. That's cool!
BB: Owning a cool rock-n-roll play space and having a love of rock who are your favorite children's rock band?
Frolic!: We actually have our own band, The Little Rock-Its by Frolic!. It is run by Tim Kubart from Tim and the Space Cadets. The Little Rock-Its by Frolic! has 13 classes a week. There is a 3 piece band in every class. There could be a signer, guitarist, keyboardist and/or drummer. We have our own album and every week is a different artist. So, for example this week is Aerosmith. They may play 3 to 4 Aerosmith covers in between the kids songs. The parents love it too. One week we had Paul Simon, the next Ray Charles and after that Stevie Wonder. In addition to our band and Tim and the Space Cadets we had the Not-Its from Seattle perform in our space. They are really good too.
BB: What are some of Frolic!'s future plans?
Frolic!: We just confirmed that on May 19th from 11am-2pm Frolic! will be hosting a Rock-n-Roll Carnival at Brooklyn Bowl with Mario the Magician. There will be carnival activities for the kids, variety shows, jugglers and some special rock star guests will be making an appearance. There will be some really top people but, I can't announce who it is quite yet. Our goal is to create high end children's events that are enjoyable for kids and parents. At our Holiday concerts what we did that was different is create a mini stage in front so the kids could go up on the stage and rock out. We really focus on every little detail to make this a memorable and comfortable experience for everyone. Ticket's will go on sale at the end of March. Check back with the Brooklyn Bowl roster to purchase your tickets.
We are also hosting a Summer Camp for children 3 to 5 years that run for 10 weeks. You can choose a 2 week minimum. Every week has a different theme. The kids will do arts and crafts, signing and dancing all based of the weekly rock-n-roll theme.
Finally, we are working on this really cool new vertical play structure that we will call either "Stairway to Eleven" or "Highway to Yell" for kids 3 and up.
BB: Super exciting! Before we finish, can you share some advice for those wanting to start their own business?
Frolic!: You have to be soooo passionate about whatever it is you decide to do. It takes a lot of sacrifices and something you really have to want. You can't just go in half way. For example, we didn't know how we were going to find the backing for Frolic!. We we were trying to figure out how we were going to finance this. But it was something we were so passionate about that we put it out there and knew the stars would align. We told everyone we knew and people introduced us to people. And you know, the best advice we were given is to simply follow up when people say "you should meet my friend so and so." Don't dismiss it! We followed up with every single person. So, take every single lead and go for it! Get out there! Meet as many people as possible. That's how we found our investors and lawyers and partners. If you really want it, it will happen!
Nina Bird hits the stage
Looks fantastic!
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