Tiny Town to bring a kid-sized town to Pinellas Park this fall
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An indoor play village called Tiny Town is coming soon to Pinellas Park. Pictured is a similar facility that also uses playhouses by Lilliput Play Homes | Lilliput Play Homes
A new indoor play village designed for children six and under is coming to Pinellas Park this fall, offering families a place where kids can explore, pretend, and socialize through imaginative play.
Tiny Town is opening at 7314 U.S. Highway 19 North in the Shoppes at Park Place shopping center, next to Pickleball Kingdon and replacing clothing store chain Rainbow.
Set to debut on September 5th, the 4,300-square-foot facility will feature 15 miniature playhouses designed to resemble real-world destinations, including a grocery store, fire station, construction site, bakery, vet clinic, gas station, bank, and more.
The business is being brought to Pinellas Park by husband-and-wife team Jake and Caylen Babbitt, local entrepreneurs who say becoming parents inspired them to open the type of play space they wanted for their two-year-old daughter.
"We saw an opportunity in our area to open up a high-end play facility that we don't have to charge crazy prices for people to come and enjoy," Jake Babbitt said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.
The Babitts met at Florida State University, where they studied education. Caylen went on to teach at private middle schools and high schools, specializing in educating neurodivergent children and those on the Autism spectrum. Jake was working for a South Florida-based construction company.
The couple moved to the Tampa Bay area in 2020 and built a successful roofing company before turning their attention to a new venture focused on young families.
As parents, they frequently visited children's attractions and birthday parties throughout the region, but felt there was room for a different approach.
"There are quite a few young child play areas, and they all do a great job," Babbitt said. "But we wanted to create something that felt thoughtfully curated, clean, safe and high-end without the high-end price tag."
Unlike traditional indoor playgrounds centered around climbing structures and jungle gyms, Tiny Town focuses on imaginative role play.
Children can act as firefighters, veterinarians, construction workers, bakers, mechanics, and shopkeepers while interacting with age-appropriate props and activities.
One playhouse resembles a service station complete with toy tools and a vehicle that children can partially disassemble and reassemble.
Another recreates a veterinary clinic stocked with stuffed animals. Other structures include interactive puzzles, climbing elements, and slides integrated into the designs.
Babbitt said the goal is to give children opportunities to become active participants rather than observers.
"We're bystanders to so much of what happens in our children's lives," he said. "This gives the child an opportunity to not be a bystander, but be the main character."
Tiny Town will include 15 playhouses, including a grocery store, fire station, construction site, bakery, vet clinic, gas station, bank, and more | Lilliput Play Homes
Tiny Town’s playhouses are being manufactured by Pennsylvania-based Lilliput Play Homes, a company that specializes in custom-designed children's environments.
Each structure ranges from approximately five-by-five feet to six-by-seven feet, with layouts tailored specifically for Tiny Town.
In addition to daily play, Tiny Town plans to host birthday parties in two private party rooms.
Babbitt said the facility was intentionally designed to accommodate private events while remaining open to members and drop-in guests.
The Babbitts | tiny town
"Members should be able to access our facility seven days a week during operating hours," he said. "That was important to us."
Birthday packages will include private party rooms capable of accommodating approximately 12 children plus accompanying adults.
Families will also have the option to order food through nearby restaurants such as Domino's, Chick-fil-A, and Jersey Mike's.
The business is also emphasizing safety and cleanliness. Employees will be required to pass Level 2 background screenings, similar to those required for teachers.
Staff members will conduct hourly cleaning checks and maintain cleaning logs throughout the day.
"We built our other business on transparency," Babbitt said. "If somebody wants to know when something was cleaned, we can show them."
The facility will feature integrated parent seating throughout the play village rather than separating adults from children behind barriers or designated lounge areas.
Babbitt said the design encourages parents to remain engaged while still allowing children the freedom to explore independently.
Tiny Town will offer both drop-in admission and monthly memberships.
Admission will cost $19.99 per visit, while monthly memberships start at $29.99 for one child.
Founding memberships are currently available for the first 200 families and include discounted pricing before the facility opens.
Inside the grocery store playhouse by Lilliput Play Homes | Lilliput Play Homes
According to Babbitt, affordability was a central consideration throughout the planning process.
"All children, regardless of their socioeconomic status, deserve a high-end quality, clean, safe, and fun place to enjoy year-round," he said.
Tiny Town is expected to open September 5th and will be open seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The business also plans to host ongoing community events, including monthly visits from the Pinellas Park Fire Department to provide free car-seat inspections and fire safety education for families.
Additional details on memberships and birthday party information are available at Tiny Town's website.
