Bellingham children’s play area and cafe to close at the end of the year
A Bellingham children’s play area and cafe is closing at the end of the year.
Perch & Play will close after Tuesday, Dec. 31. The children’s hangout, founded in 2012, is at 1707 N. State St., near Bellingham Fitness.
Skookum Kids has operated the business since the non-profit organization purchased it in January 2017. Skookum Kids founding director Ray Deck III said they had hoped that after refurbishing the play area that the business would pay for itself by the third year. By the end of this year it was still not breaking even. With the minimum wage set to rise another 12.5% on Jan. 1, Deck said they couldn’t absorb that kind of rising cost.
He also noted the difficulties of running a business like this year-round. It is highly weather dependent; when it is sunny and warm children play outside; when the weather is really terrible they stay home. It also had a restaurant component, but didn’t follow the economics of a restaurant, Deck said.
Skookum Kids focuses on caring for Whatcom County foster children and those transitioning into foster care. Perch & Play was a good meeting place that solved some unique challenges, so the organization will miss having it, Deck said.
Perch & Play will have one final event, a New Year’s Eve Party for kids from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Details about the event can be found on Perch & Play’s Facebook page.
