A new speciality coffee shop / indoor playground has opened its doors in Acton. Located right downtown, at 17 Mill Street East, Zapa Projects aims to provide something for customers of all ages.
“We wanted a place that would be comfortable for both kids and adults. And you can get a really good cup of coffee,” according to partner-owner Kaylee O'Sullivan. “My husband John is Australian and we wanted to bring a little bit of Australian coffee culture to Acton.”
The husband and wife team arrived in Acton from British Columbia in 2017, and bought the vacant building in 2021. Last year the couple embarked on massive renovations to transform the space into a welcoming cafe and play space. The new business just received a Facade Improvement Grant from the Town of Halton Hills for $7,395, and opened its doors the next day on Oct. 15. Regional Councillor Clark Somerville tells Acton UP, " The community improvement grants have been a tremendous success and is a great partnership with the downtown merchants, the town and the business owners."
Besides speciality coffees, the business also sells artisan breads from a baker in Hamilton. A climbing gym sits in the middle of the cafe where toddlers and young children can romp. The back room is filled with bouncy castles and inflatable play spaces that can be rented by the hour or reserved for children's birthday parties.
“We wanted to do something different,” adds Kaylee. “With two young boys we were struggling to find a place where they wanted to be and we wanted to be. We checked out a lot of indoor playgrounds. Some of them were okay, but the coffee usually wasn't.”
The building was originally a hardware store where the owners lived in the back. More recently, the space was a dance studio before sitting vacant for ten years. “We gave it a a lot of love,” adds Kaylee.
“We wanted to make it a place for everyone. A place for teenagers and single people to get a great cup of coffee, a place for grandparents where they can bring their grandkids, a place where moms can get away and have a cup of coffee with their girlfriends, a place for kids to have fun. Something for everyone.”
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