A new entertainment centre for children has been created by converting a vacant retail store into a play area.
Urban Air Adventure Park plans to open a location at 10050 W. Broad St., formerly the Bed Bath & Beyond store in west Henrico.
The indoor play park will be 42,000 square feet of space and will feature attractions such as trampolines, laser tag, rock climbing and bumper car-like rides, as well as a 52-seat cafe with a kids’ menu including pizza, chicken wings and ice cream.
The franchise concept is geared towards ages 5 to 18, but it also hosts corporate team-building events. The chain’s locations also host birthday parties for children.
The Urban Air, which will be located near the intersection of Broad Street and Gaskins Road, is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2025, according to franchisee Sachin Gupta.
The store will be the chain’s first in the region and its third in Virginia, joining stores in Fredericksburg and Woodbridge.
The Henrico facility is expected to cost $5 million to build and equip, Gupta said. The facility is expected to employ 70 to 80 people.
Louisiana-based Planet Construction has been selected as the general contractor for the project. The architectural firm for the project is Wisconsin-based Logic Design & Architecture.
David Andrews of Shopping Centre Group handled the leasing on behalf of the Urban Air franchise.
Gupta will run the local Urban Air location with fellow franchisee and friend Chandan Suri, who is based in North Carolina and New Hampshire, respectively. Suri’s brother, Pawan, who lives in the Richmond area, is also involved in the local franchise. This is the group’s first Urban Air location.
Gupta said he focused on west Henrico because of the family demographics and income levels in the area.
“This market has a strong demographic in terms of population. This kind of business requires a young population. It is wholesome entertainment for the entire family, but our target audience is kids,” Gupta said.
In addition to the promising demographics, the team felt there was room to bring a concept like Urban Air to the area.
“In the Richmond area, there isn’t much competition in this industry,” Chandan Suri said. Nearby indoor play areas for children include Surge Adventure Park in Regency and Defy Trampoline Park in Short Pump.
Gupta said the company is still working out what joining fees and membership rates franchisees can set for their stores.
The Fredericksburg location offers passes ranging from $26 to $36, according to the company’s website. The store offers a $21 pass that provides access to only the “basic” trampolines, as well as monthly memberships ranging from $13 to $18.
A local franchise group is also considering opening an Urban Air in the Midlothian neighborhood of Chesterfield and is still searching for a suitable-sized commercial space. No opening date has been set for the Midlothian store, he said.
“It all depends on when we find the right location. It’s not easy to find real estate in the Richmond area,” Gupta said. “It took us almost two years to secure the Henrico location.”
Urban Air is expanding in other parts of the state, with locations in Newport News and Gainesville listed as “opening soon” on the company’s website.
The Texas-based chain was founded in 2011. UrbanAir describes itself as the world’s largest operator of children’s entertainment parks, claiming to have more than 350 locations open or in development.
Gupta experienced Urban Air during a trip to Florida with his kids a few years ago and was so impressed by how crowded the venue was that he began thinking about franchising the concept himself.
“We visited the park and it was full of kids, almost at capacity,” he said. “The place was full of life. My kids also had fun at the park. They enjoyed all the attractions.”
Urban Air’s initial franchise fee is $100,000. The airline charges a 7% royalty and franchisees are required to have $750,000 in liquid assets, according to its website.