Recently, the San Bruno Chamber of Commerce welcomed it's newest member business, Didaliddoo. An indoor play center created for infants, babies and toddlers, Didaliddo (pronounced did-duh-lee-doo), offers a great place for play dates and a way to socialize with other parents.
During the grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony, it began to occur to me that downtown San Bruno is seeing an emerging trend in business: Kid friendly stores and shops.
Along with Didaliddoo, a host of other businesses have recently opened along "The Avenue" that can make a kid (and parent) friendly experience.
Earlier this year, San Bruno welcomed . Located at 445 San Mateo Ave., CQ's is a craft studio specializing in arts and programs for children ages 3-16. Offering open studio classes as well as party services, CQ's came in 2nd place as the Patch readers choice as the best place to have a birthday part for kids.
Just across the street is Sweet Connections. Voted as the best place to have a kid's birthday party in San Bruno by Patch readers, Sweet Connections serves up delicious treats such as ice cream, soft-serve yogurt, assorted toppings, fresh smoothies, milkshakes, sundaes, coffee and snacks.
Right next store to Sweet Connections is La Petite Baleen, a multi-location swim school recognized as the world leader in creating an aquatic classroom. First opened in Half Moon Bay in 1979, La Petite Baleen opened its San Mateo Avenue location in 2005. With a 24x45 foot pool and a maximum of six swimming classes at a time, La Petite Baleen San Bruno is centrally located and convenient for the entire peninsula.
Of course the 2011 closure of Lullaby Lane, San Bruno's longtime baby furniture store, was a seen as a sign of the times as well as a direct hit to the San Bruno community. However, the opening of Baby World would become a certain boon to the downtown business scene and the catalyst that sparked the growing trend in kid friendly downtown businesses. Located at the old Lullaby Lane space at 556 San Mateo Avenue, Baby World offers "Everything but the Baby" and is celebrating it's one-year anniversary on June 30, 2012!
Finally, Kid's Cuts and Kicks, located at 445 San Mateo Avenue, offers a toddler friendly environment for hair cuts. Kids love it, and even adults can get a cut while they are there!
I am really happy to see so many kid friendly options becoming available in downtown San Bruno. These establishments, all within walking distance, offer a potentially great afternoon of fun with friends and play dates, as well as a cool place for birthday parties. It also brings an element of whimsy to San Mateo Avenue.
What do you think? Tell us about your idea of a perfect afternoon with your kids on "The Avenue".
