Frolic! Play Space: Love, Children and Rock ‘n’ Roll

Jan 11, 2012 by Jeff Mann

As a successful entrepreneur and columnist for business magazine Inc., CitiStorage founder Norm Brodsky knows how to spot a good investment. Judging by new memberships, his latest venture, a partnership in Frolic!, which opened this week, already looks like a winner.

Frolic! is the brainchild of former fashion industry pros – turned moms, Julia Dawson and Carey Balogh. The duo “wanted to find a way to show our kids what our lives were about,” according to Dawson, so they created the “ultimate rock ‘n’ roll play space.” The 5,000 sq ft space, located in The Edge, on North 6th Street, offers “Williamsburg’s trend-setting ‘under six’ crowd” a membership-based indoor playground, classes, birthday parties, a coffee lounge, and a boutique.

Two years in the making, Frolic! is the latest North Brooklyn business to cater to kids. What sets it apart, says Balogh, “is our quality. Everything is custom made. We didn’t want anything that a parent could buy at a children’s store.” Of course, there’s also “the whole rock ‘n’ roll concept. Just being the first rock ‘n’ roll play space to exist is unique.”

Dawson and Balogh met five years ago when they moved into the same North 11th Street building. Two years later, they became good friends while both were pregnant. As their children grew, they noted that the community had few play spaces, none catering specifically to artists. “It was about having something that was an extension of ourselves,” said Dawson. “Bringing the same vibe the parents have, to their children…the music, the art, the dance.”

Armed with a plan, but no business experience, the two sought advice from The Ben Appelbaum Foundation, which connects entrepreneurs to mentors. An equity question led to an introduction to Elaine and Norm Brodsky. The Frolic! partners were surprised when the Brodskys invited them to meet and even more so when they discovered they lived just two blocks apart.

Balogh recalls: “We went to him and we asked him our question and thanked him for his time, and he said ‘Now guys, I want you to go back and do your cash flow statement. I want you to come back to me on Monday and we’ll go over it.’ From then, every week he would ask ‘When are we going to meet again? What are we doing?’ He saw that we were so passionate, so tenacious, that we weren’t going to give up, and of course, he has such a strong interest in the community. He knew our idea was going to work, and that it was so needed.”

Seven months later, when their investor fell through, Norm surprised them again. “Elaine and I talked about it,” he said, “and we want to be your partners.”

“We started crying,” said Balogh. “We couldn’t have done it without them.”

Besides the Brodskys, the effort to create “a sophisticated playground” required several partnerships. Frolic! features a 1970 Volkswagen bus recreated by the award-winning children’s museum designers at Roto Studios. An interactive video wall installation, “Creature Symphony,” was created by leading international creative studio I/O, who were featured in MOMA’s “Talk To Me” exhibit this past summer. The carpet and soft play equipment were designed by leaders in their respective fields. Even the coffee comes from “visionary coffee business” Rook Coffee Roasters.

The finished product, which contains a Rolling Stones-inspired tongue slide, ‘magic’ mushrooms and butterfly soft play structures, a mini-concert stage and backstage lounge was designed entirely by Dawson, who credits architect Steven Rowland for bringing her vision to life.

Possibly the most important strategic partnership is with children’s singer/songwriter Tim Kubart who created Little Rock-its, a three-piece band and music class program developed exclusively for Frolic! The signature class teaches concepts such as loud and soft, fast and slow. “Anything children under five learn, we teach, but through rock ‘n’ roll music,” said Kubart. “It’s sort of a live Sesame Street with rock ‘n’ roll.”

In addition to Little Rock-its, Frolic! offers a superhero class where children do a mix of dance movements and martial arts. There are also Bilingual Birdies, which teaches French and Spanish through music, and Paint It Black…or Blue or Yellow, which brings contemporary art to children. “We’re bringing amazing elements and sophistication to the classes,” said Balogh.

“It’s all about community here, and bringing people together, to have a place where your kids can develop long-term relationships and you develop long relationships with parents,” said Balogh. “Where do [our husbands] go to socialize with other dads? They don’t. Here everyone has the chance to form relationships, to bond as families.”

Frolic! Play Space
34 North 6th Street

Share