After 29 years of running a daycare, one Alexandria, Minnesota entrepreneur knew it was time for a new chapter—but Chris Svee wasn’t ready to leave behind the joy and creativity of working with children. Inspired by her granddaughter Skyla (and daughter Bri), she began dreaming up a place where kids could play, imagine, and explore freely. That dream became Grammy’s Town, an indoor imaginative play space and birthday party venue that officially opened its doors in June 2025.
The idea started modestly: a plan to build a small play space in her basement after closing her daycare. But her vision grew quickly, fueled by late-night research, online videos, and conversations with her family. “I told my husband I wanted to create Grammy’s Town,” she said. “And he told me to put together a business plan and take it to the bank. I don’t think he thought I was serious—but I was.”
She dove headfirst into research, gathering ideas from national indoor play café experts and shaping her concept. But when it came to the financial side, especially understanding spreadsheets, pricing models, and revenue projections, she hit a wall. That’s when Nicole Fernholz, Director for Alexandria Area Economic Development Commission referred her to the Small Business Development Center (SBDC).
“The numbers overwhelmed me,” she shared. “I had always just tallied receipts by hand when I did daycare, but now I needed to understand things like cash flow and pricing. The SBDC helped me make sense of it all.”
Chris worked closely with SBDC consultant Calvin Guyer who broke down the financials step-by-step and created custom spreadsheets she could understand and use. The no-fee support was a major help, especially as she was trying to be careful with startup costs. “It was such a relief,” she said. “I would get a spreadsheet and actually understand it. That gave me the confidence to move forward.”
Since opening, Grammy’s Town continues to grow and evolve. Chris watches how children use the space and makes thoughtful changes—like relocating a reading corner to a quieter area or adding a pretend police station. Her mission is simple: create a space where kids can be curious, playful, and imaginative.
One moment that stood out? A young girl walked in for the first time, looked around in awe, and said, “I have a place like this where I live, but yours is much better.” The child had visited a similar play café in The Cities—but preferred Grammy’s Town. “That just stuck with me,” Chris said. “We had actually visited that same place during our research. To hear that feedback meant the world.”
Though her husband still jokes that he doesn’t quite get how people will pay to play when there’s a free playground nearby, Chris knows the answer: community, creativity, and connection. And with the continued support of the SBDC, Chris knows she’s not on this journey alone. “Even now that I’m open, they’re still helping—offering ideas for marketing and growth. I would highly, highly recommend the SBDC to anyone starting a small business.”
To learn more about Grammy’s Town, click here.
To Learn more about West Central Minnesota Small Business Development Center, click here.