We're focused on providing your children with a clean, safe, fun place to play,
and a comfortable, affordable place for parents and grandparents to relax
and enjoy quality time with their little ones.
Each of these items are on our Dollar Deals Menu
veggie stix
cheese stix
gogurt
fruit cup
juice box
can of pop
Cake Pop
Smiling Cookie
bottled water
banana
apple
orange
Also on our Menu:
Nachos with Cheese
Nachos with Chili and Cheese
Bagels, (baked fresh in our kitchen)
Bagel with Cream Cheese
Hot Dogs
PBJ Sandwiches
Check out Doug's Blog, PepTalk4Parents ->->->->->->
New Video: How to Make a Balloon Dragonfly!
New Video: Fun at The New Zoo!
New Video: We Make Cake Pops at The New Zoo!
Dear Loyal Customers
I am announcing that we'll have to close The New Zoo.
(If you have a party reserved, we've emailed you a cancellation notice.)
We opened last December and had a few promising weeks. But once the warmer weather arrived, business dropped off enough that we are no longer able to pay our bills. Without an influx of cash, we must close.
An influx of cash would be inadvisable at this point, throwing good money after bad. Even if we had 10 times as many customers, we wouldn't have the profitability to make it worth the tremendous efforts we have put in so far. We were hoping that we would grow steadily. We did not.
I know we gave it our maximal efforts. We kept the place very clean, we gave excellent customer service, we tried as best we could to forge a relationship to our community that would enable us to thrive, but it wasn't enough.
However, that relationship was there. It still is. Our happy venture will live in cyberspace at our website and facebook pages for awhile. All the evidence of our efforts and the happiness it brought to the people that came here to support our local business is there. All we needed to continue on our way to profitability was tons more money for advertising. We didn't have it, and if we could have borrowed it and spent it, we cannot say if it would have made us successful or only been added to our losses.
As for me, I went into this venture hopeful but with my eyes wide open. Either we could make it work with a sharp focus on cleanliness and customer service, or the community didn't have a significant need for a play cafe. Our cleanliness and customer service are up to snuff, no one disputes that. So it must be that the community can get by without us.
That doesn't mean we were not appreciated. I know that we are. We received many complements and recommendations, (thanks!). And I know that most families are on a very tight budget and trying to make every purchase count. Therefore, we put 20 items on our Dollar Menu. But I'd hear Moms whispering to their kids quite often, “No, Honey, we can't get a snack, we'll eat at home.” Without sales from our cafe, the business model is unworkable.
But I put in 80 hours per week for 6 months with no pay, and I'm feeling a little foolish about that, since forgoing my paycheck was done in hopes of making it through the summer and having a profitable business by fall. Summer is a slow season for play cafes. We cannot go on and must close immediately.
But thanks to all our customers who were rooting for us to prevail. We did not, but we gave it our all.
Doug Conlin
People are already asking me, "What are you going to do?" I'm planning on a long bike ride.
