Time Out not just place to send bad kids

The new Petaluma business aims to fill a family-friendly entertainment niche.|

Petaluma parents have long lamented the lack of activities for young children. That was the observation of Rami Sahar and his sister and brother-in-law, Limor and Amit Gilad, whose two young daughters attend day care in Petaluma.

Tired of looking for something to do with the kids in Petaluma, the Santa Rosa residents decided to open their own kids play area at the Petaluma outlet mall. Featuring bounce houses, ball pits, slides, play equipment, a party room and a dance floor with DJ booth, the venue promises to become a new gathering spot for families with children when it opens in the next two weeks, Sahar said.

“Petaluma is a family oriented town with so many children,” he said. “It’s absolutely a perfect fit.”

The new play center will be called Time Out, ironically named after the place a parent would send a misbehaving child. The owners hope kids will want to be sent to Time Out.

“We decided to put a different twist on the negative statement of going to ‘time out,’” Gilad wrote on the company’s website. “Now time out can be a fun household joke because if your kids behave well and they eat all their broccoli then you will send them to Time Out.”

Sahar, who owns a cell phone repair business with locations around the North Bay, said that Time Out will have activities for kids of all ages. A toddler area in the front is for small kids, while kids older than 3 years old can climb on the play equipment. Middle and high schoolers can host dance parties in the back room, complete with disco ball and laser lights.

“The thing that high school kids don’t really have is a place to get together and throw a party,” he said.

Time Out is the second recently announced business to provide family entertainment in Petaluma. A developer is moving forward with plans for Free Range Mini Golf, a family fun center at the north end of town.

Besides offering a place to play, Time Out will also have classes in yoga, art, reading and music, Sahar said. The owners also hope it will provide a bit of respite for parents shopping at the mall.

“We will create a small community of our own, a place stay at home mothers can spend some time and make new friends while their children play,” Gilad wrote.

Time Out will charge kids $10 to play all day - adults are free - and there will be a monthly membership option for $100, Sahar said. He hopes to be open soon at suite 800A in the outlet mall.

“We’re in the final stretch,” he said. “We hope to be open in two weeks.”

(Contact Matt Brown at matt.brown@arguscourier.com.)

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