When Georgena Hurst was on vacation with her family in Seoul, Korea, she and her husband stopped at a cafe with their kids for a cup of coffee and a place to unwind. Little did they know that it was a play cafe — a place where adults could relax and work while their children played.
Impressed with the concept, Hurst brought it to the Jefferson Park neighborhood when she opened Sunny Village Cafe in September. Sunny Village is designed to give local families a convenient place where parents can meet other parents, and their children can have a safe and friendly environment to play.
“We are like a bougie Chuck E. Cheese — a place where adults can be adults and kids can be kids. In our space, adults get good quality food and drink options while their kids are entertained,” Hurst says.
Most importantly, Hurst adds that Sunny Village Cafe is a space where people can come together and find community.
Q&A with Georgena Hurst
You struggled to find community after the birth of your son. Why is community important for moms?
“We are so disconnected from each other in some ways. Community is what makes anything and everything possible. It’s your back up, your network and your support network,” she says. “Especially as a mom, you are going through so many changes and it’s important to have other people in the same boat to share that with,”
Hurst says she has witnessed first-hand moms exchanging numbers in her space and making follow up plans for playdates.
“It makes me so happy because that’s what we want, and to see it happening after only a month of being open is incredible,” Hurst says.
Speaking of community, how does Sunny Village Cafe support other small businesses?
Sunny Village Cafe serves coffee from Perkolator and baked items from Delightful Pastries. Their retail section is stocked with items from Chicago area businesses, and they are also working with The Catalina Plant Co. to host story times.
“I now understand the work it takes and the commitment to being a small business owner – we are a community as well,” says Hurst. “By working together, it improves the whole community neighborhood ecosystem. It strengthens the idea of neighborhood closeness and community.”
One thing that drew you to the concept of play cafes was the thoughtful touches that truly catered to customers. How did you replicate that idea at Sunny Village Cafe?
“I’m a mom with young children, and I thought about what I would want or need in this type of place,” Hurst says. “We have a dedicated quiet room that can be used for feeding babies or as a respite for children who are overly stimulated. We have a space for stroller parking, an extra stash of diapers and wipes, stools for the bathroom, and my personal favorite – a ‘see you later’ snack to ease with the transition of leaving.”
Hurst calls these special touches ‘icing’ – extra pieces of mindfulness to make the experience as smooth and thought out as possible.
Fast talk with Georgena Hurst
Your to-go coffee order
Georgena: I don’t drink coffee, but I love a brewed cacao latte (which we will be selling this winter in our cafe!)
Your favorite place to eat out with your family?
Georgena: Costco
Your personal saying
Georgena: Lately it’s been “better done than perfect”, otherwise it’s “you can’t change your plans if you don’t have any plans”
Your secret obsession
Georgena: Baja Blast and Korea
If you could change anything about your life, what would it be?
Georgena: That I had all the time in the world to learn all the things I want to learn.
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