LEOMINSTER – The former location of the Toys “R” Us store at the Mall at Whitney Field is once again the place to go for anyone who wants to feel like a kid again.
Launch Leominster, a family entertainment center, features an indoor trampoline park, virtual reality games, bowling, Laser Tag, dodgeball, a ninja course, a full bar and restaurant, and an arcade. The center, which is the latest of six Launch Entertainment locations in the state, opened its doors at 118 Commercial Rd. in March.
General Manager Andrew Pierce, who was born and raised in Gardner, said the former toy store’s 32,000 square foot building made an ideal spot for a large family entertainment center.
“We’re right here in the Leominster area, and even though the mall (business) is a little down right now, we’re trying to be part of revitalizing it,” Pierce said. “And the owners are from this area too, and they wanted to bring something back to this area.”
Owners hoping to revitalize local businesses
The Leominster franchise will be owned and operated by Mark and Christine Emma, who said they were inspired to open the location after noticing that their son might not have the same opportunities to have fun with his friends as the couple did growing up in the city.
“We were introduced to the family entertainment center franchise when our son was seven,” explained Christine. “We immediately fell in love with Launch Entertainment’s concept, leadership, and ability to evolve with the times.”
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One of the Emmas’ goals was to rekindle the city of Leominster and surrounding communities after seeing many businesses in the area close shop or relocate to other locations.
“With Launch opening at the Mall at Whitney Field, we can provide a safe, fun, active, and inclusive environment for children, teens, parents, and grandparents to enjoy,” Christine said. “We hope to drive significant foot traffic in the area and, in turn, help attract other businesses to invest or reinvest in our community.”
Launch owners hoping to cater to families after closing of Roll-On America
The need for a new location for local teens and families to have fun together was much needed in the area, Pierce said, especially since the closing of the nearby Roll-On America skating rink and entertainment center in Lancaster two years ago.
“Roll-On had been around for nearly 30 years and was the only entertainment spot for full families that has ever been around in my lifetime,” he said. “And even though their closing was kind of hard on the community, I’m glad we were able to make a difference and kind of bring back something for families to do in this area.”
Pierce said he had been pleased at how enthusiastically customers have responded to Launch since its opening.
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“We’ve been open for about three weeks now, and the traffic has certainly been flowing through the doors – our team has been up and running and we’ve been preparing for our big day, which is our grand opening,” he said.
Launch will hold its grand opening celebration on Saturday, April 22. The first 100 guests on that day will jump free for a year, Pierce said.
In addition to an entertainment center, Launch will also offer a venue for group events, including birthday parties, field trips, youth groups, and corporate teams.
Launch Entertainment, which is headquartered in Rhode Island, is billed as one of the fastest-growing family entertainment concepts in the country. The franchise was founded in 2012 by Rob and Erin Arnold.
