March 19, 2026
Spotlight On Small Town Play Cafe
Earlier this month, we had the chance to sit down with Founder – and as she also refers to herself Head Mom In Charge – Kim Coe. Here, we are spotlighting her brand and new franchise: Small Town Play Café. The concept is a modern play café combining specialty coffee, indoor play, and family-focused experiences, designed to bring together community, connection, and elevated everyday moments for both kids and adults.
SMB Franchise Advisors: Kim, please take a minute to describe what there is to love about Small Town Play Cafe and what your franchise concept is all about.
Kim Coe, Founder: Small Town Play Café is part coffee shop, part indoor playground. We offer open play, birthday parties, classes, and events, while also operating as a standalone café. Each location is thoughtfully designed so that guests are welcomed into a space that feels more like a modern coffee shop than a traditional play area. We feature a strong food and beverage program, partnering with local wholesalers and a New Jersey based roaster, Paper Plane Coffee Company, to create a fun and approachable menu. At its core, the brand brings together what adults care about with what children love, creating a space designed intentionally for both.
Where it all Started – Small Town Play Cafe Flagship Location in Westfield, NJ
SMB: What makes your play cafe concept unique in today’s out of home entertainment market?
Kim: The concept was built to address a gap in the market. While there are many spaces designed for children, adult experience is often overlooked. Small Town Play Café was created to be both visually beautiful and highly functional, offering a space that caters equally to adults and children. By combining an engaging indoor playground with a high-quality café experience, we provide an environment where kids can play while adults can relax, work, or enjoy a great cup of coffee. Thoughtful details like comfortable seating, workspace-friendly counters, and an elevated café menu, create a more balanced and enjoyable experience for families.
SMB: How do you maintain service and product quality standards across locations?
Kim: As we expand, maintaining consistency starts with strong foundations. We focus on thorough documentation, comprehensive training, and providing franchisees with the tools and support they need to succeed. Our team is closely involved in the design process to ensure every location reflects the brand’s standards and vision. Beyond opening day, franchisees are supported with ongoing resources and systems to help deliver consistent guest experience. Equally important is selecting the right franchise partners; those who align with our values and are committed to upholding the brand experience.
SMB: What inspired you to franchise Small Town Play Cafe in 2025?
Kim: Small Town Play Café was designed with franchising in mind from the beginning. From branding to physical layout to customer experience, every decision was made with scalability and long-term growth in focus. While the initial goal was to create something meaningful for the local community, it quickly became clear that the concept had broader potential.
SMB: Why did you partner with SMB Franchise Advisors?
Kim: Partnering with SMB ensured that the franchise was built correctly from the ground up, with the right systems, documentation, and structure in place. This strong foundation has allowed us to scale confidently and efficiently, with early franchise growth exceeding expectations.
Kim Coe, Founder and Head Mom In Charge
SMB: How many locations did you have before working with SMB to build out the franchise model and how many units are there now?
Kim: We currently have one flagship location and are in the process of opening five additional franchise locations across New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania. We officially began franchising in mid-2025, making this early growth especially exciting within a relatively short time frame.
SMB: What are your long-term goals for your play cafe franchise, do you have a goal for how many locations you can open through franchise growth?
Kim: Small Town Play Café as a franchise was designed for national growth, with a long-term vision of opening hundreds of locations. Our goal is to bring the same sense of community, connection, and experience from our flagship location to families across the country. While we are currently focused on regional growth to ensure strong support for early franchisees, we plan to expand well beyond the Northeast in the future.
Founding Family in the Flagship Small Town Play Cafe
SMB: What qualities do you look for in successful franchisee owner candidates?
Kim: We look for franchisees who understand and believe in the brand’s vision. Small Town Play Café is a multi-faceted concept combining café, play, events, and retail and it’s important that partners recognize the value of each component. Successful franchisees balance business acumen with strong attention to detail and a commitment to hospitality. Delivering exceptional guest experience is just as important as running an efficient operation. Ultimately, we seek partners who can see the bigger picture while executing the day-to-day experience at a high level.
SMB: What makes your particular franchisee training program unique?
Kim: Our training program is highly hands-on and designed to be supportive and thorough. As a newer franchise system, we prioritize ensuring that every franchisee feels confident, prepared, and well-equipped from the start. With a background in people operations and recruiting, training is a key focus. Rather than overwhelming franchisees, we provide structured, detailed guidance and remain closely involved throughout the process. The goal is not complexity, but clarity giving franchisees the tools and confidence they need to succeed.
SMB: How have you already started to support franchisees in maintaining brand consistency across locations?
Kim: We know that consistency is driven by providing the right tools, systems, and resources. From the start, Franchisees are equipped with everything they need through a centralized platform, reducing the need to deviate from brand standards. We also established strong vendor and partner relationships early on from coffee suppliers to architects and technology platforms to ensure scalability and uniformity across locations. As the system grows, our team will provide ongoing support to further reinforce consistency.
SMB: How do you foster a positive culture across your franchise system?
Kim: A positive culture starts with transparency, accessibility, and strong support. We prioritize open communication and ensure franchisees feel connected not only to the brand, but to each other. We regularly share updates, host events bringing all franchise owners together and create opportunities for collaboration across the system. We already see a sense of community and shared success. By empowering franchisees with knowledge, resources, and ongoing support, we have created an environment where both the business and the owners can thrive.
SMB: What advice do you have for other business owners looking to franchise their concept?
Kim: Start with a strong foundation. Establish clear systems, processes, and documentation early on to set your franchisees up for success. It’s also important to avoid overwhelming new franchisees. Providing information in stages so they receive what they need at the right time. I think this creates a more manageable and effective on-boarding experience. A thoughtful, structured approach to training and support leads to better outcomes for both the brand and the franchisees.
SMB: Is there anything else you would like us to share about your brand?
Kim: Small Town Play Café is experiencing strong momentum as we expand into new communities. The excitement around the brand continues to grow, driven by thoughtful partnerships and a clear vision for the future. We are building something with long-term staying power combining a beloved category with a differentiated, elevated approach. As we continue to expand, we look forward to bringing the Small Town experience to more families across the country.
Explore the franchise to learn more about Small Town Play Cafe ownership opportunities.
Reserve Open Play or visit the brand online to see what’s happening.
Author Danae Diaz, SMB Franchise Advisors Development Associate
Reviewed by Dawn Abbamondi, Chief Marketing Officer at SMB Franchise Advisors
