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Franchising effort will expand business beyond Canton borders
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Laurel Hess, one of the owners of Jungle Java, checks her computer at the facility which offers play structures for children, healthy snacks and, of course, coffee. The owners recently signed their first franchise agreement.Ask anyone opening a new business and they’ll tell you: it’s a jungle out there.
Laurel Hess will tell you it’s been a jungle in there. She’s one of the co-owners of Jungle Java, which opened at Canton Center and Hanford roads in 2003 and recently signed its first franchising agreement. The franchisee plans to open a Jungle Java in Scio Township, near Ann Arbor, by early 2007.
“We just get so many people that are interested in franchising,” said Hess, who founded the store with her husband, Eric, and Doug and Denise Mehl. “The process is so long—it took us three years after we opened to sign our first one. It’s kind of exciting.”
The owners are branching out, themselves. Work is under way in Farmington Hills for a new corporate location which they will own and operate.
“They began internal construction this week and we should be able to—hopefully—open there before the end of this year.”
“I think it’s neat that it all started in Canton,” she said.
The four residents began Jungle Java because they couldn’t find a cafe where children could climb, run and play that didn’t serve greasy foods.
“We wanted some place that was clean, with healthier food and some place where we could kind of relax,” said Hess.
Evidently, the rest of Canton wanted the same thing. Many days—especially when the weather is cold and school is on break—there is a line out the door of the restaurant.
“We never thought we’d have a waiting list and be telling people they couldn’t come in,” said Hess. “We thought it was a concept that was going to be successful, but I think we were even a little bit overwhelmed and blown away.”
Several similar venues have popped up around southeastern Michigan in the few years since Jungle Java opened, said Hess. She began to notice the impact when they upgraded their play equipment a few months ago.
“We heard about it through the play structure (builders): ‘My God, what’s going on in metro Detroit? Ever since you guys opened, we’ve been flooded with phone calls,’” said Hess.
The township, which has a multitude of families, was a perfect fit for the concept. Hess, who said metro Detroit was becoming the “play-place mecca” of Michigan, found the surrounding area embraced it, too. Jungle Java has hosted birthday parties for children from Farmington, Belleville, Ypsilanti and beyond.
Chris McDougall, 37, prefers the cafe to pizza or fast food restaurants with similar play equipment. The menu caters to kids and adults alike—the “Java” is the key for the latter.
And since espresso and computers go hand in hand now-a-days, the owners recently installed Wi-Fi, so those with laptop computers can sip some Joe and access the Internet while their children play.
“I work out of a home office so this works out,” he said, before taking a break to play with his daughter.
The wi-fi service required balancing customer demands with the owners’ philosophy of “healthy food, active play,” said Hess.
“It was a hard decision for us. We want to encourage parents to be up in the tubes playing with their kids.” That’s why they’ll never install a big screen plasma television despite many requests from fathers. Offering the chance to check e-mail was a natural service for many customers who were bringing in laptops anyway, she said.
They hope to put new food on the tables as well as computers. The owners bought a new oven for grilled cheese and hot panini sandwiches, which will be introduced in the fall.
Jungle Java is open from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday; and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $6 for children 2 and older and $3 for children 12-23 months of age. Adults and children under 12 months are admitted free. For more information,log on to www.junglejavaplay.com.
