Cottage Grove is home to a new business called The Little Village. Located in the old Las Margaritas space at 7750 Harkness Avenue South, Suite 101 behind the Kohl’s Shopping Center, The Little Village is a space where parents can bring their young children to play in a safe space while the parents enjoy a fresh coffee and sit in a comfortable living room like area. The parent observation area oversees the entire play space so they can keep an eye on their little one as needed.

The Little Village is the brainchild of owners Laura and Ryan Fritz. The Fritz’s had their first child six years ago and at that time, they decided to quit their full-time jobs and they began consulting. Everyone they knew thought they were crazy, but it worked for them.

“And then we had those late-night feedings and being up all the time, you just start dreaming and thinking,” laughed Laura.

But that is where the idea for The Little Village came to them.

“It kind of all stemmed from this Imaginarium space actually. We were going to have this very elaborate play area that had all these different themes. So, the Imaginarium was the start of it, and it has taken us six years to get to this point. We've been planning it the whole time, kind of molding it and tweaking it down, so it did not cost seven million dollars and here we are,” added Laura.

When you enter the space, there is a cafe that welcomes you instantly. They will serve a variety of coffees from Dogwood Coffee along with tasty, healthy snacks, bakery items and Sweet Science ice cream. They do ask that no outside food or beverage be brought in with the exception of baby formula and associated items. The space is a nut-free space to ensure the health and safety of everyone that visits.

The front also has their shopping space with unique items such as high-quality toys, clothing and more. Their website describes the space nicely.

“We've put together a curated collection of imaginative play items, unique gifts, craft kits and art supplies, apparel, and décor for you and your littles to enjoy.”

The play space is divided up nicely with their Imaginarium being a focal point. This room is wall to wall chalkboard so they can create any type of imaginative environment they would like too. This room will be themed, and that theme will change every few months.

The main space is an open space with turf to give the feeling of playing on grass without the stains. The open layout gives kids a chance to run around and burn off their excess energy with constructive things to do such as a small store front and a workshop type space that can be whatever they want. This space also includes a climbing area that leads to a slide.

The back portion of the space is craft/classroom type space. That room is set up for messy stuff. Arts and crafts, workshops, birthday parties and more. The design of the room is to provide flexibility for different uses while not having to care if glitter ends up on the floor.

The location has workshops on Monday and Tuesday, with open play Wednesdays 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursdays 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Saturday 9:00 a.m. to noon. They keep Saturday afternoons and Sundays open for private parties. There are a variety of options available for pricing and they pointed out that they are different as adults and children 10+ are always free. They offer memberships and play passes along with their single child visits which are $15 each.

The space is clean, modern and ready for you to bring your child or grandchild age 0-9 to play while you enjoy a drink and treat from the café. To learn more about the space, see all the pricing and to join a workshop, visit www.thelittlevillagemn.com or call 651-203-7993.