Our own train was a bit slow to get moving this morning (Nora gamely slept through the night while Spencer was overcome by hunger pangs, again, at 5am, and was raring to go afterwards), but by 9:30am we ventured out in the chilly spitting rain to Choo Choo Bob's.
Choo Choo Bob's is tantalizingly positioned a few doors down from Izzy's ice cream on one side, and Trotter's Bakery and Cafe on the other, yummy snack venues both. Bob's is a dream destination for parents and toddlers, boasting 6 kid-sized tables of toy trains in the back, and a massive 'grown-up' model train set up in front. I'd say about 10% of the parents end up buying the fairly expensive trains in shiny boxes along the walls; the other 90% of us enjoy ourselves and then slink guiltily out, not daring to look the kindly old proprietor-- I'll call him "Bob"-- in the eye.
This post is for him. And for us no good, free-loading parents. Redemption is possible.
Bob, there are a few things you need to know about us parents. We run on coffee; it's not a luxury. And those of us who are either middle-class or too dumb to notice we're not anymore, won't think twice about shelling out three or four bucks for a vat of Joe. Some prefer fair trade, organic, shade-grown... some want the coffee taste obliterated by cocoa and sugar and cream. Give us our coffee and we will make you rich, Bob.
And while we're at it, we love food on the go. Otherwise we mostly eat cheerios from the floor, pilfered yogurt and granola bars, spurned skins of fruit, and stealthily hidden sweets. Most non-mall kid places don't provide food we like (or food at all-- parks, playgrounds, pools, museums, aquariums, etc). So why not set up a little snack bar next to those tantalizing train tables? The goal should be reasonably healthy food that can be ready and neatly packaged in less than 30 seconds, eaten with one hand (or no hands) while juggling one or several screaming toddlers, etc, etc.
Bob, there's more. My toddler was enthralled by the trains, but my crawler faced hostile terrain-- unsavory carpet and bonks waiting to happen, not to mention yummy magnets on every chewable train. So, which of us wouldn't pay a buck to rent a bouncy chair for our babe while we're there? More revenue to be captured.
And while my kids are enraptured by trains, and bouncing happily away... I could really use a nap. Bob, I noticed a vacant, unlit 'party room' off to the side of the store. You could sound-proof the room and fill it with cots-- I'm talking army cots-- and who of us would not take you up on the offer of a parent nap? What, you say? Afraid for the kids? Hire an hourly sitter on the spot to watch your precious ones while you catch some shut-eye!
Bob? Bob, come back. These are good ideas. We could make a million bucks... Bob?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I see a new line of business for you in the works: marketing consultant! But seriously, I do not understand how that place stays in business! They really should hire you to overhaul it! And then give you a permanent cot in the party room.
ReplyDeleteSo true, so true. The coffee part would be SO doable! And if you had the coffee, you wouldn't have to have the nap.
ReplyDeleteJohn always felt bad about using Choo Choo Bob's as a playground/activity without purchasing anything; me, not as much. But when I had to buy a boy's birthday present I made sure to go there as my first stop.