 Diane, Sean and Mark Feeney
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Hours:
Tuesday-Sunday 2:30-7:30
(Hours may be extended on Friday and
Saturday nights.)
Address:
127 E. Main, Dayton
Phone:
(509) 382-2362
Website: www.playatorium.com |
By Tanya Patton
When Mark and Diane Feeney and their ten year old son, Sean, moved to Dayton from Los Angeles to be closer to Mark's family, they appreciated the slower pace of life associated with living in a small town. But as is true in most small towns, there wasn't much for kids to do after school and on the weekends. Most kids seem to have a biological need to "hang" with their friends. It's not much fun to just hang out at home, walk the streets or loiter in a parking lot or in front of a convenience store.
Mark, a computer software engineer, and Diane, a former bookstore owner, decided to open the Playatorium, a business designed to meet the need for a safe and affordable place for school-age kids to hang out and have fun with friends. "We liked the idea of owning our own business and believed we could fill a void in the area," says Mark. The freshly-painted, sedate exterior of the building at 127 E. Main Street belies the bright and colorful interior which fairly screams, "Let's have fun!"
The Playatorium offers an impressive variety of games and activities, including arcade games, billiards, air hockey, foosball, a keyboard, game consoles (PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360), high-speed internet and LAN PC's, movies, 100" projection TV with 5.1 surround sound and a lounge complete with a snack bar, board games and space to do homework. Used video games, comic books, Marvel brand paraphernalia and t-shirts are also for sale.
The business plan is simple. The Playatorium sells memberships, $10 or $12 a week, depending on the age of the member. That fee allows the member unlimited access to the Playatorium and "free play" of every game and activity in the house. Weekly memberships do not have to be consecutive, although monthly memberships are available and are less expensive than the weekly. A $5 day pass is also available. "We also offer membership gift certificates," says Mark. "They make great holiday and birthday gifts."
The Feeneys have put a lot of thought into how to not only make the Playatorium the hangout of choice for area youth, but provide a place where parents are confident that their kids are safe as well. "We're parents too, so we tried to address all the issues that would be important to us," says Diane. Both Mark and Diane are onsite, supervising activities and interactions whenever the doors are open. They insist that a parent or guardian sign a parental consent form for each member, that includes movie and game rating restrictions, if desired. Members must also agree, in writing, to follow the house rules, the most important of which is the BE COOL RULE. Members check in when they arrive and check out when they leave.
The Feeneys encourage people to stop by and check out everything the Playatorium has to offer. It's a great business idea that is meeting a real need in our community.
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