Success Story
| Region/Nation | London |
|---|---|
| Sector | Hospitality, Accommodation and Food Service Activities |
| Programme | Start Up Loans |
| Partner |
Hackney-based Ann-Marie Kinlock took out a £25,000 Start Up Loan in December 2022 through Virgin StartUp to launch her business, Kindhaus Family Club, a “home away from home” for modern families that combines indoor play for the kids with coworking space for busy parents. With a background in human centered design, Ann-Marie’s career has seen her working with global brands including Samsung, Barclays, Adidas, Tesco.com, to name just a few in User experience, Strategy and Customer Experience roles.
However, when she had her first child in 2018, she saw the need for more spaces that were both parent and child friendly, and the seeds of the idea for Kindhaus began to be sown. In Ann-Marie’s hometown, there tens of thousands of children under the age of 10, but only one indoor children’s playground.
It sits at the heart of the community but she felt there was was room for something more modern, which also considers parental wellbeing, environmental factors and childhood development needs, not to mention, the essential ingredient of great coffee for parents. Children’s play spaces are sometimes an assault on parents’ senses, Kindhaus aims to be the antidote to this trend, providing a space that’s design-led, considers parents needs, and supports them as they raise happy families.
The Start Up Loan has had a massive impact on Ann-Marie’s business plans. The money allowed her to take on the space, purchase play equipment, pay staff salaries and provide training, all of which would not be possible without having the capital there.
Kindhaus has sustainability at its core, and Ann-Marie is looking into taking the business to B.corp status in future. Packaging is provided by a fellow Hackney firm that produces compostable and recyclable coffee cups and the local architecture firm that worked on the building has incorporated design features to help reduce energy consumption in different seasons.
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