‘Indoor play cafe’ looks to bring a new option for State College families
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Little Lions Play Den will open this fall in State College's former Kid To Kid location.
- The space will feature indoor play areas and a parent-focused café.
- Memberships, drop-in rates and party packages will offer flexible visitor options.
A new indoor play space and cafe opening soon in State College hopes to provide an engaging space for children and parents alike.
Little Lions Play Den is expected to open its doors this fall at 154 Rolling Ridge Drive in the former home of Kid To Kid, which recently moved just next door after its sister store, Uptown Cheapskate, relocated downtown. The new business will offer spaces for adults to unwind while kids blow off some steam using indoor playsets, toys and other activities.
Co-owner Julianna Retherford, who currently serves as Penn State’s director of sport camp health, hopes Little Lions Play Den will offer a much-needed outlet for families with young children in the State College area. Now raising a 2-year-old and a 4-month-old, she says there’s a growing need for family-friendly spaces in Centre County — especially when it’s too cold to be outdoors.
“I always thought it would be so nice to have something for all of us to do outside the house,” she told the Centre Daily Times. “You get to watch the kids play in their environment, and if you want to go and play with them, you can. But if you want to sit back with a coffee, you can do that, too. I think this area needs it, and we’re craving it.”
Children will have a wide range of activities at their fingertips while visiting Little Lions Play Den, Retherford said. Early plans for the space include an indoor playset with a slide, climbing sets, train tables, magnetic tile sets and play houses fit for those who want to play inside a miniature grocery store, home or automobile garage.
Little Lions Play Den has already formed early partnerships with some local businesses to lay the groundwork for an on-site cafe, Retherford said. Once open, the cafe will serve Rothrock Coffee and pastries from The Cakeshop by Tati, the Pleasant Gap-based bakery.
Little Lions Play Den will also partner with Centre County’s own Pyramid Play to help coordinate some “Mommy & Me” classes and provide sensory options for children, including noise-canceling headphones.
Retherford is developing Little Lions Play Den with children from “crawlers to about 7 years old” as the target demographic, but all are welcome, she said. There are plans to host an infant area for children roughly 24 months old and under.
While laying out the plans for her new business, Retherford said she felt inspired by lions — a not-so-subtle play on Penn State’s own mascot. Just like in the wild, lion mothers live in dens with each other to raise their cubs, connect and support each other.
“That’s my goal,” Retherford said. “To provide a den for children so they’re safe and having fun and growing and socializing with each other, all while parents can find something restorative to them. That might be reading a book and knowing your kids are safe or having a conversation and finishing a cup of coffee while it’s actually hot.”
“We want to create a sanctuary-like space where parents can come in, take a deep sigh of relief and feel their needs and their children’s needs are met,” she continued.
While acknowledging a lot can change between now and the fall, Retherford expects Little Lions Play Den will offer “family-friendly” hours between about 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays. She said the space will likely be open from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays but closed on Sundays to give staff time with their families.
Closing early on Saturdays and all day on Sundays will give Little Lions Play Den ample room to host birthday parties and other events, Retherford said. While discussing plans for her new business, she envisioned offering a dedicated party room and packages for families complete with decorations, food and cake.
As a mother of two young boys, Retherford said there’s a great need for more birthday party venues for children in the State College area.
“There aren’t a lot of options for toddler birthday parties,” said Retherford, who noted she hosted her son’s first birthday party at Bellefonte’s Axemann Brewery. “It’d be nice to have something for kids and parents alike, to let everybody sit down with some cake and coffee and have everybody play.”
Retherford says she hopes to offer several payment options for families who hope to spend time at Little Lions Play Den. Options may include $50 per month, per child memberships, $15 individual drop-in visits or a sort of “punch card” that covers a certain number of visits in advance.
If construction timelines remain on track, Little Lions Play Den hopes to host a grand opening around Oct. 4 — a target date that would intentionally launch the space while Penn State football is playing UCLA out in California. Retherford said interested families can likely expect a soft opening shortly before that date, while early registration opportunities and birthday party sign-ups open in September.
Retherford is working to launch Little Lions Play Den alongside her husband and co-owner, Zain Retherford, a three-time national champion wrestler with the Nittany Lions. Zain is primarily working as the “money guy” after completing a finance degree at Penn State and recently obtaining his master’s degree.
“This is a family-run business for families,” Julianna said. “He’ll be super visible alongside me, which is great. The whole thing is a family operation.”
While reflecting on her time living in Centre County, Retherford recalled how quickly she felt welcomed by locals when she arrived in central Pennsylvania as an 18-year-old Penn State student far from her home in Florida. Now, she hopes Little Lions Play Den can help welcome others just as the community welcomed her years ago.
“I never expected to become as ingrained in the community as we have,” Retherford said. “State College is much more than just Penn State. It has a great, rich culture, and it’s really quite homey. There isn’t a part of this area where you go and aren’t greeted with joy.”
“I got here and had never felt so welcomed,” she continued. “I hope somebody else might move here or seek out more of the community and think, ‘You know, I could spend the rest of my life here. This is home.’ That’s the kind of vision we hope this supports.”
For updates on Little Lions Play Den as it gets closer to opening, check out its website or visit its Facebook and Instagram pages.
%202.JPG)