Guestbook

Mary Jane Klaila
01/26/10 @ 6:06PM
Great coffee, delicious food and wonderful crowd of moms, dads and kids. I like it.

Relieved Mom of 3
01/23/10 @ 11:20AM
I am a stay-at-home mother of 3 young children whose husband works diligently at a nighttime job to allow me the opportunity to do what I love best - be with our kiddos! For the last 6 months or so the biggest problem in our house has been getting the littlest ones to stay quiet enough in our small (or I like to say \'cozy\') house so that my hubby can get some much needed sleep. Much frustration on his part, and tears on mine, have resulted from this dilemma as I\'ve struggled-and mostly failed-to quiet down our energized group in the early morning. After finally deciding the best thing to do was bundle up & head out of the house, I then found myself feeling a vagabond around town. We had a few regular stops, but tired of the old stand-by\'s quickly and any time I tried to think \"out of the box\" it would only take a few looks from strangers to know we were once again disturbing the peace. I had many experiences of leaving an estabishment, dragging crying children, my face red with embarrasment. I was so discouraged and I began dreading those early morning hours. You can imagine my relief and excitement to discover your place. Thank you so VERY much for doing what you do. You are now a home away from home for my children and I, a place we all love to come to. You might just have saved my marriage as well, lol!

tiffany
01/20/10 @ 10:38PM
I love it

Lesley
12/31/09 @ 2:21PM
Hi Shyla and Jackie

This is the frist time I\'ve read the posts and just wanted to say that, as you know, we have been coming pretty much every single week and enjoy every minute. You are providing a lovely service to Anchorage, and please don\'t allow a few pushy, ignorant people to dictate your menu or anything else! The sooner that parents stop expecting the world to adjust to their children, the sooner children will learn personal responsibility - perhaps the parents might even learn personal responsibility too. Personally, I\'d love for the anonymous so-called journalist mom to make herself known - that would allow those of us who are offended by her tactics to make sure that we can boycott her work!

Truce or not, I wanted to add my voice in your support - we love you, and my littlest one has received such unconditional love and attention from Shyla in particular, that we will always be loyal fans! :)

I hope that 2010 is a spectacular year for you, your families, and your business.

Lesley

Kristal
10/27/09 @ 11:27AM
Yesterday was my first visit to the Playgroundz, and I have to say that I absolutely loved it. The play area was bright and clean, and just so kid friendly. The coffee was delicious and the ants on a log were perfect! I enjoyed my time there, and can\'t wait to visit again. Thanks so much for opening this business! Thank you thank you thank you.

Nonjournalist but big fan
09/02/09 @ 5:53PM
Concerned mom and journalist.
Just because you are chief of press, ABBIE BAUGH, does not mean you're a journalist.

And your way of mothering? Is by a book.


Most mothers "expose" their children to sugars, fruits, HONEY and nuts included before the age of 3. WHO CARES.
And realistically a child's first severe allergic reaction to foods that cause anaphylactic shock DO NOT REQUIRE epi-pens.


I'm a fan of this idea and this coffee shop hopefully will succeed. :)

Jackie Shepherd and Shyla Dem (Website)
07/31/09 @ 9:19PM
Shyla and I have now been up and running for three months and we have been amazed and excited by all of the support our customers have given us! You are (mostly!) all fantastic and it makes our jobs a lot of fun. It has been great to get to know new parents and their cute (and sometimes screaming) children. Thank you all! -Jackie

Stephanie
07/02/09 @ 1:36PM
Just wanted to write and say I think you handled the food allergy situation above and beyond what you needed to. Thank you for providing such a great fun place for our children, it will be so great to have this winter!!! We love your menu and will return again and again! I also am a mother with a child that has severe food allergies....and I don\'t expect the world to change because of it. We will just have to work with it. It\'s hard, but managable. Thanks again!!!

GeorgiaPeach
07/01/09 @ 6:47PM
I am excited about coming to visit your place tomorrow. I'm hoping to bring friends. I am sorry you have had to deal with rude people and their scare tactics. (I don't believe in coffee, but I can just hush and order a hot chocolate. Not hard.) I appreciate how professional you have been with all issues presented. My daughter is two, and if it turns out she does have a peanut allergy... well gee she will have had a fun time playing, I will have had a great lunch, and we will spend some time with doctors to get it under control. Then I will return, medication and wipes in hand, and let my daughter enjoy the big wide world. I know many mothers with "allergy kids" and your offer of allowing outside snacks and your promise to keep the equipment clean mean a lot to all of them. I am happy to bring friends along on my adventure tomorrow. I will post a review in the proper forum.

Joseph Shepherd (Site Admin) (Website)
06/18/09 @ 6:13PM
I really like the dialog that has sprung up here. I can tell that people are passionate about food issues. I have created a place in the forums where these issues can be discussed in further detail. If any one would like to make menu suggestions please do in the forums. Thank you.

Momof 2 boys
06/14/09 @ 2:46AM
I went for the first time on Saturday June 13th and i Loved it. My kids loved it. I have one comment to say I have a young child with my disabilities and i felt these two women did an awesome job with what they felt was kid friendly. As far as food goes if peanut butter is an issue then get something that has no PB in it. What child does not PB they were thinking average child friendly.

I just want to thank you guys this is and was a great idea.

Jackie Shepherd and Shyla Dem (Website)
05/31/09 @ 5:07PM
Alright, everyone, let us call a truce in The Peanut War. We are just two girls from Alaska who wanted to open a place for parents to sit and enjoy a latte in relative peace. It seems like everyone can agree that allergies are a concern and they are a frustrating issue for all who have to deal with them. We have only been open for three weeks and we are still working out some areas (such as the menu). The fact that we serve peanut butter today does not mean that we will in a year. Give us some time and leave us comments when you come in to see us.

Thank you to all of our supportive customers! We already have a loyal base of \"regulars\" and we\'re thrilled about it. You guys all have made all of our hard work worthwhile!
-Jackie and Shyla

New in town
05/31/09 @ 1:40AM
It was my lucky day when I turned on channel 11 news the other night and saw the story about the wonderful new kid friendly coffee shop in Anchorage. I can't wait to bring my kids in. What a fun way for me and my children to meet new friends.


See you soon!

Why risk it?
05/30/09 @ 10:02PM
Realistically I have to admit that it is just not that smart of an idea to have peanut butter sandwiches available where you are catering towards very young children who play on shared equipment. I'm sure there are plenty of other reasonably priced alternatives to offer. Why risk it when it could very simply be avoided??? Is it really worth it?

shocked mommy
05/30/09 @ 8:39PM
wow.
i\'m at a loss for words.
cry wolf or \"sensationalize\" and you\'ll get your way.
fantastic!
a world full of tantrum throwers.
all of this and its not even your kid!
do you fight all of your friends battles for them?
call the grocery store for them and make the same demands? did you contact mcdonald\'s while you were at it or do you just pick on new, struggling businesses?
for the record, pediatricians advise against INGESTION NOT EXPOSURE..........if exposure were the concern, we would all be advised never to leave our homes with our babies and to keep any spouses, relatives, friends or older siblings who may have ventured out into the big bad world (or even the anchorage school district) far away.
I am saddened by this whole situation and am shocked at the demands of a SMALL group of moms.........you are NOT THE MAJORITY and while your situation, or your FRIENDS\' situations rather, are tragic and can be sympathized with, this is not the way to get what you want. Your smug satisfaction is especially distasteful.
furthermore, you did in fact threaten them and how you have convinced yourself otherwise is beyond me.
Your kind scare me.

by the way, I emailed god. demanded he get rid of bees. still awaiting his \"response\"!

Happy Mom and Journalist
05/30/09 @ 2:20PM
Apparently many of you did not read my comment in its entirety. I did not threaten anyone and I got exactly what I was looking for. A response. If you read everything I said I did not say I had a child with allergies, I said I know people who do. I will reiterate what I actually said, that since this facility is geared towards preschoolers and infants that this is a real issue. Again,children are not supposed to be exposed to nuts until age 3 and Infants under 12 months are not supposed to be exposed to honey. So if a child had never been exposed and then goes to this facility and has an allergic reaction how is the parent supposed to know what is happening to their child? They won\'t have an epi-pen if they don\'t know their child is allergic and won\'t know that until they decide to expose their child. Regardless, I got exactly what I had hoped for. It just goes to show that sensationalism gets results. We finally hear about the issue from one of the owners. That is what I had hoped for and am pleased with the response. I am glad they looked into the issue and consulted with professionals and are willing to organize peanut-free playdates. This is exactly what I had hoped to achieve , but every time someone I know had tried to contact the organization they were never contacted back. That said, those who did not like my comment don\'t have to like the way I went about it and no I don\'t have to own it. You can laugh and scoff and do whatever you please. I did not threaten them. I only told them what could happen if people like myself started giving them negative publicity because they refused to get back with people who had been voicing their concerns. I am sure Arctic Playgroundgz is a wonderful place, I just wanted to make sure that it is a safe place for all; even those who have been following their doctor\'s advice and not exposing their children to possible allergens before a certain age. You can\'t please everyone but issuing a statement is good business ethic and it sounds like these ladies are willing to work with people. Therefore I will take the owner\'s comment to the people I know and inform them of the response and we will make arrangements to go to the facility and organize a peanut-free playdate. Thank you for your statement.

Mallory
05/30/09 @ 1:11AM
As far as I am concerned, anyone who issues a negative comment and threat under the cloak of anonymity shouldn't expect to be taken seriously. If Concerned Mom and Journalist feels that strongly about the peanut issue, she should own it.

Thanks Arctic PLAYgroundz for a wonderful new place to hang out.

Shyla Dema
05/29/09 @ 8:57PM
Wow! Awesome day at the shop! A BIG thank you to everyone who came out to play today! We were watching our dream come to fruition! We look forward to seeing you all again soon! You all Rock!

Grandmother
05/29/09 @ 10:19AM
PLAYgroundz was a wonderful idea, peanuts or not! Thank you for providing a safe and beautiful place for my grandchildren to play and me to settle back with a nice cup of coffee.

Busy AK Mom
05/29/09 @ 10:08AM
I'm tired of the few parents out there that are expecting the world to adapt to their child's needs, rather than teaching their children to adapt to the world. I'm am sorry for the difficulties families face when they have a child with severe allergies, however, does this mean no peanuts, no dairy, no wheat, no eggs (the list is endless) for the vast majority of children.

My child has multiple disabilities including a seizure disorder. Does this mean I should expect every business we frequent to remove anything on the premises' that could cause injury to her if she did have a seizure or should I expect that all the playing children to be quiet in case the environment is too stimulating and could possibly cause her to have a seizure?

I find it disturbing that Concerned Mom and Journalist is willing to threaten this new business if her demands are not met. Be responsible for your child's health...carry an epi pen. As for the sudden onset of allergies, none of us can predict or prevent these things. I can tell you that when my son suddenly developed a severe allergy to penicillin, I didn't call the doctor and demand she quit prescribing it for ear infections.

I was thrilled to find an establishment where I could actually get a healthy, nutritious snack for my child. Thank you to Arctic Playgroundz for providing this much needed service to Anchorage's families.

Jackie Shepherd (Website)
05/28/09 @ 11:26PM

We have received two or three phone calls and/or e-mails from mothers (not claiming to represent organizations or groups) of children with peanut allergies. One of them asked us to remove peanuts from our menu. The other two simply asked what we were going to do to be sensitive to children with allergies. My business partners and I had a meeting with a pediatrician and considered taking peanut butter off the menu, but were told by the doctor that children with severe allergies cannot even be around granola bars that have been made with nuts, so we would really have to cut out a large portion of our menu, not just the peanut butter. After much deliberation, we decided that it would be too difficult for us to remove nuts completely at this time. Those of you who have visited know that our menu is limited as it is and that PB&J sandwiches are one of our top sellers. Because we used everything we had to get our doors open, we cannot afford some of the more expensive substitutes right now.

I e-mailed a response to one concerned mother telling her our decision and offering to wipe down the entire play area and tables for her if she (or anyone else with a similar concern) called us in advance. We also allow outside food for children with allergies and ask anyone planning a party or event if there are any allergies in the group before we serve food. If a guest with allergies lets us know, we alert all of our other guests that there is an allergy sensitive child in the area and ask that they be especially careful to wipe their own child\'s hands and steer away from peanut butter if at all possible. I also told her that if she had any other suggestions of how we can help, we would love to hear them.

As mothers of children with their own special circumstances, we completely understand the concerns and frustrations that mothers of children with allergies face. If a group or organization would like to call us and discuss having a peanut-free morning every other week (or any other idea that might help) we are here and ready to work with them. As of yet, we have had no problems and we have had MANY children with allergies coming to play. Please, call us. We do not bite!

Grateful Father and non-journalist
05/28/09 @ 10:32AM
I wanted to write and tell you of my appreciation for your business. My children and I really enjoy our time there, we always find it clean and friendly.



\"Concerned Mom and Journalist\", I can understand your concern. Peanut allergies in particular are a dangerous prospect. But it is up to us, the parents of allergic children to look out for them. I certainly do not need a sign posted to know that I need to ask the facility if they serve anything that could be harmful to my children. I found your passive threats a bit over the top. To suggest death, lawsuits, negative PR and this new business failing is just reckless. I would think, that as a \"journalist\", your writing would be more responsible.

Considering the gravity of your situation (children with a reaction to peanut products) I suggest you go in and talk to the ladies. They are wonderful people.

Happy Customer (not a journalist)
05/28/09 @ 9:38AM
I LOVED the peanut butter celery sticks served at a recent party. It is so refreshing to find a healthy alternative to the snacks typically served at other kid party venues. I appreciated you asking if there were any allergy concerns. I found no evidence of \"grubby hands\", your shop is clean and your staff was friendly and helpful. Thank you for providing a wholesome atmosphere for Anchorage kids and parents. I hope your business does well, we will be return customers.

Concerned Mom and Journalist
05/25/09 @ 7:03PM
Members of a local playgroup have tried to contact your organization about serving peanut butter and have been met with zero response. They would love to give you their business but many of the kids in the group are allergic to peanuts. It is suggested that children not be introduced to peanuts (including peanut butter) until age 3 to prevent allergy and since your business is geared towards parents of preschool aged children and infants I highly suggest you take peanut butter off of your menu. Even if you are cleaning your equipment hourly (which I am sure you are not) there is bound to be peanut residue left from grubby hands which can expose infants and children who are allergic to peanuts. I would hate to see your business sued by a parent who did not realize you served peanut butter because their child died from an allergic reaction, especially if they did not know thier child had the allergy because they had not been yet exposed. At the very LEAST you need to have warning signs all over your facility. Also it would be good practice to reply to your future patrons when they email you with concerns. As of right now, until I hear differently I will NOT give you my business and will advise people to stay away until you PUBLICLY address this issue. As a journalist I can tell you that it only takes a few concerned patrons to cause you negative publicty and when word gets to the media it can cause your business to fail. Your concept is great and a much needed venue in this town, if you could just listen to your patrons and adjust your menu or take proper precautions you can avoid further issues. I hope that you will.

Sharon Fleck
05/16/09 @ 11:11PM
Hi Shyla - A friend of mine starting talking about going to this place and the more she talked about it, the more it sounded like what I remember you talking about last fall. I will stop by with Hazel and Sage!

NATALIE FOSS
05/14/09 @ 12:59AM
I'M SO EXCITED TO TAKE MY DAUGHTER THERE TOMORROW , GREAT IDEA.....PERFECT FOR AK WINTERS!!!

Cyrese Gorrin
05/12/09 @ 11:58AM
I can\'t wait to take my family!

missa fennell
05/07/09 @ 3:39PM
This place is WONDERFUL!!!! We went last Sat. for a b-day party and will be back tomorrow to play. Great coffee, friendly staff, yummy cupcakes, and the lemonade looked awesome. Thanks for the new fun place. Missa and Savannah

Jemilah
05/07/09 @ 9:26AM
This will be a life saver on those rainy days... but more so during the winter.

Yvonne
05/06/09 @ 12:45PM
We are so happy to hear you will be opening soon! Can't wait to come in and play.

Erin Kirkland (Website)
05/06/09 @ 8:36AM
Can't wait to visit. My coffee/typing/kid combo is excited!

Suzi
05/05/09 @ 7:50PM
Looks like an interesting venture. I"m always looking for new places for my young children to play when the weather is not very nice. Good Luck ladies!

Kelsey (Website)
05/04/09 @ 4:35PM
So excited about your business! I got one of your fliers from Firefly and can't wait for your opening!