WYOMING — It was two years in the making, but it’s finally open.
Super Bounce LLC, a children’s entertainment facility located at 1024 Wyoming Ave. in the Midway Shopping Center, opened its doors to young and old alike March 4, and plans are in the works for a grand opening celebration in May.
Owners Aubrey Ginocchietti, 38, and her husband, Michelangelo, 37, are excited to finally show the community what their business entails, which includes four inflatables for bouncing, two party areas and a “toddler zone,” featuring an interactive wall of toys for the youngest patrons to enjoy.
“It took a good two years of designing the layout and the colors and then working with the architect on where to plug what bounce houses in, and then we had to find insurance, and then learn all the rules (of this kind of business),” said Aubrey Ginocchietti.
The business offers party packages that can be customized to fit planning needs. Add-on options include a photographer, face painter, balloon artist and character visits. Super Bounce works with other local businesses, like Angelo’s Pizza a few doors down, for its party services.
“We kind of wanted to make sure any budget can have a party here,” she said.
Ginocchietti said Super Bounce has hired 15 employees so far and is currently looking for more part-time help.
“Someone monitors each kids’ bounce house just for safety,” she said. She also wants to have hosts and hostesses on hand to help with birthday parties and other celebrations at the facility.
“This past weekend was our busiest,” she said. “We had nine parties.”
Ginocchietti said the idea for the business stemmed from trying to find places to take her own children — 7-year-old triplets Nina, Luciano and Lorenzo and 5-year-old Solana.
She said the couple was “very naive” about starting this particular style of business, but they were persistent about pursuing the venture.
“We used to go to (similar businesses) and say, ‘How hard can this be?’” she said.
The Ginocchiettis were especially surprised when, after crossing most of their T’s and dotting many I’s, another tenant in the shopping center took issue with the business moving in.
In October, Aubrey Ginocchietti was told representatives from Price Chopper, an anchor tenant in the center adjacent to the proposed new business, held up the move-in process due to concerns about potential increased traffic at the site.
Eventually that matter was settled and the Ginocchiettis were able to move forward with their project. After six months of construction, they are trying to “work out a few kinks” of their business.
“We’re learning as we go,” she said.
Ginocchietti said she is focused on providing not only a place for kids to have fun, but a place for families to gather and parents to relax.
“We want to keep it like a homey, comfortable environment,” said Ginocchietti.
She wants to emphasize positive parenting throughout the business, whether it’s through signs with quotes or empowering messages painted on the walls.
“I really want to make this just a warm environment for kids,” she said. “We’re just trying to promote positive parenting like, get involved with your kids, try to give them as many compliments as you can.”
Cleanliness is also a major focus at the business. The Ginocchiettis both work as registered nurses, so preventing the spread of germs and viruses is always on their minds. Aubrey Ginocchietti said she even installed a special closet inside the facility equipped with “every kind of cleaner you could imagine” to help ensure the business is always squeaky clean.
“We’re not huge, we’re trying to keep it simple,” she said. “We’re a smaller facility. We’re just trying to keep what we have as clean and as nice as we can.”
Part of the business is a reflection of the couple’s entrepreneurial past. About a decade ago, the pair ran a hot dog cart called Phat Franks in Scranton to help them pay for nursing school. Super Bounce also offers hot dogs in-house, as well as cookies, cake pops, snacks, soda and coffee.
