Inflatable play center JUMP! has closed
The interior of JUMP! when it opened. Roanoke Times file photo
JUMP!, a Roanoke County play center filled with inflatables, has closed about a year after it opened.
The owner, Robert Phillips, was forced to close because he hadn’t paid rent, said Roger Jackson, an agent with Poe and Cronk Real Estate Group, which manages the building. The real estate group had to change the locks on the doors, he said.
“We hate to see someone go into debt,” Jackson said.
Phillips could not be reached. He and his family moved to Roanoke a few years ago. According to this 2011 blog post on SwoCo, Phillips and his wife felt that southwest Roanoke County needed more kid-friendly options for playing and hosting parties.
He started the business by renting out inflatable houses to see if there was a market for an inflatable play center. When he saw that the rentals were popular he opened JUMP!. It had two party rooms, an arcade space and a large floor area covered with inflatable jump houses, slides, an obstacle courses and basketball hoops.
The 3,900 square-foot space, next to Mattress Firm and Carilion’s Velocity urgent care center, is available for lease, Jackson said.
January 23, 2013 - 5:00 AM
Sad to see them fail. My thought was this was a good idea but hard to make work during the school months. Parents just don’t have time to pick kids up from school, get homework done, get dinner, and go to a play center.
Well that’s embarrassing. Nothing like having your closure announced by the folks who changed the locks.
I feel for the owners, I hope they recover from the financial repercussions of trying their hand of starting a small business. I personnaly had my doubts as the location is only a couple hundred yards from Chuckie Cheese. Same as I feel for the folks that opened Hometown Cooking two doors away from the well established Country Cooking. National chains in the fast food market and big box stores have a strategy for opening as close to their competition as possible, however, it seems very risky on the small business level. It takes guts!
It seems unprofessional of the Real Estate agent discussing the financial matters of a previous tenant and locking them out. Is this legal?
This is sad but I never thought Roanoke really could support two inflatable play centers.
Whish I knew this place existed. I would have driven up, my son would have loved this place.
@Jean: The real estate company manages the building so I believe it is appropriate for them to talk about why they had to change the locks.
I’ve been there a couple of times for kids’ birthday parties and the kids loved it. Too bad. Is Pump It Up more popular?
IMAX coming to Blacksburg? That’s great news.
bottomline—-this guy took peoples reservation money and has not returned it–Before opening a business…have available capital to weather a brief storm–The owner and realtor of this building did nothing wrong !!!!
oh well another one bits the dust. hope for something better.
Amanda.
What do you hear from Keagy Villiage? The developer from Charlotte that bought the place said in November he had big plans for national chains with several retailers interested. Hope the center is filled soon!!! Trader Joes would do great there!!
There is not much entertainment fun in Roanoke for the young at hearts,but a new 12 screen Cinema with IMAX technology coming to Blacksburg’s First & Main shopping center The First & Main shopping center in Blacksburg will be expanded to include a 12-screen cinema with IMAX technology, under plans revealed this morning by a group of Virginia Tech alums who bought the center about six months ago.
It will be called CineBowl & Grille and will include an arcade, bowling alley, bar and restaurant, according the plans announced today….Why Roanoke has not jumped on this concept. It would give Roanoke the edge we need.
@Chris: I’ve been keeping in touch with the leasing agent for Keagy Village, and he has told me that soon he should have some news to announce.
R W Robinson, do you specifically know of people who paid in advance and are now out their money?
Things like that are so damaging to local businesses in general. And sometimes when a small local business closes, it’s not the “economy” or evil local people not supporting their neighbors – it’s because someone didn’t do a good business plan or enough research to find out that there’s no market for your barnwood or bouncy castle. It takes more than “guts” to open a business, especially when other people’s money is involved. There’s a reason it’s so hard to get a loan from a bank to open up.
Thanks Amanda. Hope some exciting news will be released soon!! Now if we can just get some exciting news for Ivy Market!!
I’m very interested in the Keagy Village announcements…My best friend and co worker lives behind All state about a 2 minute walk from Keagy Village. I hope they bring a restaurant..
Hans- Hopefully with the new theater more good retail will come to that center. Agree with you. Roanoke needs a IMAX!! THEY REALLY MISSED THE BOAT WHEN THEY DID NOT PUT ONE IN DOWNTOWN AND THEY WONDER WHY THE MUSUEM IS SUCH A FAILURE. IF IMAX WAS THERE THE WAY IT HAD BEEN PLANNED I DOUBT WE WOULD BE HAVING SUCH ISSUES WITH THE ART MUSEUM!!
I just visited Traders Joes in Charlottesville, VA. Trader Joes is more of a smaller grocery store. I did not see anything perticular that makes Trader Joes a wow factor. They only carry their own brand of food. There was not a lot of different shampoos to choose from nor enough wine selection. So, I had to put off buying these items for another store.
I would love for a Trader Joe’s or Whole Food Store to come to Keagy Village. Right now it is a sad view that the majority of the stores are empty.
Sorry to hear about this. There has been a lot of changes at this location for some reason. Guess it’s not close enough to Valley View…. And as far as the IMAX is concerned- once again a missed opportunity for our area.
Hans, Trader Joes is a great place for food and sometimes wine (Two Buck Chuck, anyone?). But it’s not good for dry goods at all. The extent of the selection depends on where you are….Williamsburg and Richmond are great, and I went to one in Georgetown that was in a basement and just tiny.
I haven’t been in the Charlottesville one yet, but I look forward to checking it out.
I agree that an IMAX theater in downtown Roanoke is a missed opportunity. If Roanoke seriously wants to bring a crowd downtown on a weekly basis, they should bring a theater and IMAX downtown and along with a Bowling Alley. How cool would this be? This would give us more of a city center and great entertainment. This would also bring a flow of people to the museums. Roanoke needs an entertainment city center.
Kristen, you are so right regarding having a solid business plan for a bank to invest in you. However, there are so many small businesses that start up without a financial institution’s backing, using only their savings and family and freinds to back their ideas and passions. I’ve known so many of my food and beverage management collegues, over the past 30 years, that have lost all their savings and retirement by branching out on their own.
PUMP IT UP IS STI;; OPEN
Hans- what did you think of the rest of the center in Charlottesvile? Heard Pottery Barn and William Sonnoma opening this spring there! we need stores like that here man!!At least Bananna Republic. Come on gals you would even love that!!
Yes, I figured this out when my son and I showed up there about a month or so ago and the doors were locked and the place was empty, despite the fact that I checked their website and there was no mention of being closed. If that’s how they ran their business, I’m not surprised they had to close.
I heard that Thunder Valley will honor deposits that people had placed at Jump.
@CaineRed: Thanks for sharing. I will call Thunder Valley today to confirm.
26.Hans- what did you think of the rest of the center in Charlottesvile? I really like this development. It is very trendy and modern. It is like a small city. I ate a Noodles and Company. There is steakhouse there, which has a fire pit out front and comfy seating around it. The theater comples is massive. There are a lot of empty stores, at this time, but they plan to fill up in months to come. It is a very nice development. I will go back again. Give it by April and the shops and restaurants will be buzzing.
Opening in fall 2012, the new cinema will feature state-of-the-art digital technology and 14 screens, making it the largest cinema within a 60-mile radius of Charlottesville.
Albemarle Place is a 65-acre development at the intersection of Route 29 and Hydraulic Road.
The new Regal Cinemas will be part of the first phase of a new town center by Edens & Avant that will feature a pedestrian-friendly environment with a mix of national and local retailers, an eclectic collection of restaurants, a leading grocer, and a hotel.
Jump!’s closure actually happened over a month ago. It is my understanding that they went under and failed to tell the families that had rented out the party room for their kid’s birthdays. People literally arrived with cake and decorations only to find the place closed. I can’t say I feel sorry for the Jump! owners if this is the way they went under.
There is another, much nicer inflatable playground in Roanoke that I didn’t even know about until I took my kid to Jump! and found it closed. It’s called “Pump It Up” and it’s on Orange Ave. Much, much nicer inflatables that what was found at Jump!.
Speaking of Roanokes’ failed attempt at bringing IMAX downtown, I just saw an IMAX movie in downtown Chattanooga on Butterflies. How odd Center in the Square is into butterflies. With an IMAX, the exhibit would be brought to life!