http://www.littlebearplaycafe.com/

Little Bear Play Cafe, 100-26 Queens Boulevard, Forest Hills, NY (2026)

10/11/2021

12/2018: 4 months pregnant & we had just gotten the keys to our store

10/2021: last moments at our beloved store

In 2018, I left a career in advertising to open Little Bear. I’m lucky that I went back right before the pandemic thanks to the best . While I’m sad about LBPC closing, it was the right thing to do and we close with zero regrets. The lessons learned transcend the both sides of my career and I feel blessed to have had the opportunity.

1. CULTURE WINS OVER EVERYTHING: when the Little Bear team came together, I saw it as my chance to build the working culture that I always craved. We leave today as a family and for that, I call this a success. To get here, it wasn’t about me; it was our incredible managers — Silvana + Janine — who took a vision and built our team. It was the amazing women who joined us & every day went above and beyond. I’d like to believe that they did so because we always had their back, and they knew it.

2. COMPETITION DOESN’T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE FIERCE. We arrived in Forest Hills when there weren’t many options for parents. It’s different now. Throughout this process, I’m lucky to call owners of other playspaces friends. We bonded over the challenges we faced—especially during Covid. Above all, the friendship built with Thuy at HOPS, is one I’ll always cherish. She was a friend & a support system that kept me going in the tough times.

3. PEOPLE FIRST. Throughout this journey, people have been the center of everything. This meant fair partnerships with teachers who taught our classes, trust with our business partners from coffee vendors to waste removal, & transparency with our landlord. By taking a people first approach, I feel like we’re walking away in a much better scenario than if we had taken a business first approach.

There’s so much more I could say. While very sad (I sobbed as we turned off the lights today for the last time), these are lessons that I’ll take forward as I continue my career, refocus on family, and welcome the next chapter.

Lastly, thank you for being a part of our journey. We hope Little Bear left an imprint on you and your family. These memories alone, made this adventure worth it.

10/04/2021

We have one more final weekend of clearing things out, and then that’s it. This weekend was all emotions. Almost every one of you who came to pick up items shared an amazing memory with us. We’re taking that energy you’ve given to us and channeling it into the universe for good vibes to come.

Thanks for all the love & memories. 💔

And for those of you who couldn’t help but share your opinions on where and how we went wrong, we hope you find peace within yourselves. Peace that will serve you not to be an unnecessary jerk to small businesses who are fighting every day to stay open. ✌🏻

09/27/2021

our final week schedule is up! final three days this week. we're going to miss you so much ❤️❤️❤️

Walk ins are welcome for any of our scheduled sessions. Pre-booking online is $28 for 90 minutes of play for one child and one caregiver. walk-in is $30. additional caregivers are $5. babies 8 months and under are free with paid sibling. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
please note that we are still requiring masks for all visitors age 3 and up. this is a decision we're making as our little ones aren't vaccinated yet. in addition, we do require proof of vaccination to visit for all guests age 12+ so please make sure you bring it!
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
We are now offering coffee and beverages again. And remember: masks on, socks on, shoes off! hope we'll see you to play this week. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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09/23/2021

Many of you have asked how to support us. It turns out that closing a business has significant cost associated with it.

So one of things we’re doing is liquidating all of our assets and inventory. All proceeds will go towards costs associated with shutting down little bear. You can see everything we have here in this link: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-wT1o-S24T9omzeoXQwd8qPBD127-YB3hNV2ZsQBUPo/edit and know that we’re adding more as we continue to clean things out.

We’re doing this as a bidding system so send us your best offer and if you’re the highest offer, we’ll email you to let you know! pick up will be on specific dates in early October.

One critical item we’re looking to move is our play structure so if you know of a preschool or community center who is looking for a play structure, we’re happy to donate.

Let us know if you have any questions via DM or email!

⁣

09/22/2021

How absolutely lucky are we that not only did we have an amazing , the community we built with our classes was phenomenal. Our little bears got to learn through play and we’re so blessed that so many partners raised their hands and wanted to work with us.

A huge shout out and lots of love to Miss Tiff The Art Table Studio, our speech therapist partner Maia, our Hebrew teacher Shiri, Marilyn with Bilingual Birdies, Zumbini with Johanna, our Mandarin teacher Sing, the crew at Snapology, Evan and his team at Premier Chess, and Kana & Sasha at Hug Music.

You each given Little Bear so much and we are so appreciative of your partnership.

Nine more days, will you come play one more time?

⁣

09/21/2021

With only 10 days to go, we’re going to share a little bit each day about our journey. We hope we’ll see all our little bears before we close our doors permanently. ❤️

Our final team gathering. These ladies (Michelle, Wendy, Aseefa, Lorena, Janine and Silvana, missing Angie, Victoria, and Shira) have been the force behind Little Bear Play Cafe. We met as strangers, some in March 2019 when we opened, some post-Covid in November 2020, but we part as a family.

It’s been an amazing experience building a woman-led small business. The care that each of these ladies have bought to our space along with the community they’ve helped build has been incredible.

The sheer number of guests who have told me of the impact the has had on their parenting experience makes me so proud of all we’ve accomplished in our short time. Do you have any special memories with our team that you’d like to share?

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09/20/2021

schedule for week of 9/20 is up. it's our VERY LAST WEEKEND OPEN!!

Walk ins are welcome for any of our scheduled sessions. Pre-booking online is $28 for 90 minutes of play for one child and one caregiver. walk-in is $30. additional caregivers are $5. babies 8 months and under are free with paid sibling. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
please note that we are still requiring masks for all visitors age 3 and up. this is a decision we're making as our little ones aren't vaccinated yet. in addition, we do require proof of vaccination to visit for all guests age 12+ so please make sure you bring it!
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
We are now offering coffee and beverages again. And remember: masks on, socks on, shoes off! hope we'll see you to play this week. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣

09/14/2021

Guess what’s back!!! Ball pit is back in action from now until September 30th when we close. Come play!

⁣

09/13/2021

first week of school for all our public school families! are your older ones in school and you're looking for something to entertain the little one? come visit us this week!

updated schedule for week of 9/13. Walk ins are welcome for any of our scheduled sessions. Pre-booking online is $28 for 90 minutes of play for one child and one caregiver. walk-in is $30. additional caregivers are $5. babies 8 months and under are free with paid sibling. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
please note that we are still requiring masks for all visitors age 3 and up. this is a decision we're making as our little ones aren't vaccinated yet. please note we are requiring proof of vaccination for all of our guests age 12+.
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
We are now offering coffee and beverages again. And remember: masks on, socks on, shoes off! hope we'll see you to play this week. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣

09/11/2021

it's hard to believe twenty years have passed. as with many of you who lived through that day, you'll forever remember where you were when the towers came down. every year, I'm never sure what to say so this year, I'll share a few quotes from others about 9/11 that give me some comfort.

“Even the smallest act of service, the simplest act of kindness, is a way to honor those we lost, a way to reclaim that spirit of unity that followed 9/11.”
—President Obama

“If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate.” — Sandy Dahl, wife of Flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl.

“Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. We will remember every family that lives in grief. We will remember the fire and ash, the last phone calls, the funerals of the children.” — George W. Bush

“September 11, 2001, revealed heroism in ordinary people who might have gone through their lives never called upon to demonstrate the extent of their courage.” — Geraldine Brooks

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09/06/2021

To all of our friends who celebrate, may this New Year be filled with health and happiness, and sweet moments for you and your family. L'shanah Tovah!

⁣

09/06/2021

we're going to miss everyone! come play once more before we close our doors. schedule for week of 9/6 is up! no parties this weekend so it's all play.

Walk ins are welcome for any of our scheduled sessions. Pre-booking online is $28 for 90 minutes of play for one child and one caregiver. walk-in is $30. additional caregivers are $5. babies 8 months and under are free with paid sibling. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
please note that we are still requiring masks for all visitors age 3 and up. this is a decision we're making as our little ones aren't vaccinated yet. in addition, we do require proof of vaccination to visit for all guests age 12+ so please make sure you bring it!
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
We are now offering coffee and beverages again. And remember: masks on, socks on, shoes off! hope we'll see you to play this week. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣

Little Bear Play Cafe

10/11/2021

10/04/2021

09/27/2021

09/23/2021

09/22/2021

09/21/2021

09/20/2021

09/14/2021

09/13/2021

09/11/2021

09/06/2021

09/06/2021

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