Today we’d like to introduce you to Kiki Silva and Bela Lopes.
Co-founders and friends, Bela and Kiki met in Chicago and bonded over a mutual love of shopping. Soon, they realized they share many things in common, including a Brazilian background, a law degree and an entrepreneurial spirit.
Being both moms of very energetic kids, they always talked about how hard it is to drag the kids to the mall and how it becomes inevitably stressful for the parents.
With that in mind, they strived to create a win-win concept for both parents and kids, a space designed for kids to have fun while parents have a joyful experience at the mall.
FUNDAY was born. A boutique play space, unique in design, inviting, exciting and most importantly, full of super cool and fun activities.
At FUNDAY they are committed to providing a rewarding experience for your kids under a professionally supervised play space fully dedicated to never miss the opportunity of making the kids smile!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Being an entrepreneur is never a smooth road, you need to get used to wearing multiple hats and stay focused.
It helps that Bela and I are both self-driven and always figure out a way to make it happen. And, most importantly, while enjoying the ride!
Please tell us about FUNDAY.
FUNDAY is a boutique indoor play space and activity center for kids ages 3-to-12 years old, located at Westfield Old Orchard.
FUNDAY offers a fun, stimulating and safe environment for kids to play while their parents can enjoy all the amenities the mall has to offer. Parents can drop their kids off at FUNDAY and go shop, dine, work out, have a haircut, watch a movie, etc., all drama-free! At FUNDAY, kids engage in a variety of activities targeting their creative, cognitive and motor skills. The space is divided into stations, featuring Arts & Crafts, Lego, Board Games, STEM Magnet Wall, Make-Believe Pretend Play, Reading, Basketball and Interactive Video-Games.
“Shopping with kids poses a real problem for moms and dads alike. Hectic, stressful, rushed and chaotic are some of the words parents use to describe the experience of shopping with kids. And that experience is not fun for the kids either! FUNDAY creates a win-win solution for parents and kids: parents can enjoy drama-free shopping, while kids can have a blast in a fun and enriching play space.” Kiki Silva, co-founder of FUNDAY.
FUNDAY co-founder Bela Lopes adds: “This concept is a tremendous success in many countries, and we are excited to be pioneers in bringing it to the United States. Westfield Old Orchard is our first stop.”
In addition to regular open-play activities, FUNDAY also hosts birthday parties and offers a calendar of special events, such as mini-camps, movie-nights, open play for parents and kids under 3 years old.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Kiki – My best childhood memory is spending the summers at my grandparent’s house in Brazil. My grandfather had a candy factory and it was almost like being raised in the “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” movie. I loved to explore the factory and its surroundings and to work with my grandfather. I think that experience fueled my entrepreneurial spirit.
Bela – Definitely, the summer vacations I spent with my extended family at our farm in the southern part of Brazil. My cousins and I would ride horses, work the cattle on the field at the crack of the dawn, fish on the small ponds, play cards, do a talent show for our parents and play at the pool. There was never a dull moment and we were inseparable. I always think about my best childhood memories when creating fun activities for the kids at FUNDAY.
Contact Info:
- Address: 4905 Old Orchard Center
- Website: www.fundaykidsplay.com
- Phone: (847) 410-7690
- Email: contact@fundaykidsplay.com
- Instagram: @fundaykidsplay
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fundayshopwhileyourkidsplay/
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
