[ad_1]
WOOSTER − The pandemic had an impact on the amount of fun people could have at Acres of Fun, but the downtime allowed the new owners to spend their time upgrading the establishment at 3889 Friendsville Road.
It must have been a good plan because Acres of Fun is this year’s Wooster Area Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year with 15 or fewer employees. The attraction features roller skating, bumper boats, laser tag, mini golf and other entertainment.
Celebrating 55 years:This Holmes County plant makes 6 million pill bottles a day. Get to know Centor
Purchasing acres of soon-to-be fun
Natasha Wood was working at the Schaeffler Group with Darlene Johns when Johns and her husband, Bob, owned Acres of Fun. When Wood heard Bob Johns was interested in retiring, she reached out to her coworker inquiring if the couple wanted to sell the business.
Wood had already started one business, Jump n Shout in Smithville. It allows kids to come in and bounce, play, and have birthday parties.
Community banking:Wayne Savings to become Main Street Bank Corp. with merger. Headquarters stay in Wooster
She started it to help her children stay active all year long. As they grew older, a business like Acres of Fun made sense so her children could continue to be active.
Wood purchased the business on July 31, 2019. For six months, she held a number of events. When 2020 rolled in, so did the pandemic and lockdowns.
Making the best of hard times
Federal, state, and local programs providing assistance to businesses that were told to close, along with personal funds, helped Acres of Fun stay in business during financially challenging times.
The closure era was stressful, but Wood said “It was a blessing in disguise.”
She came to appreciate the time it afforded her and her husband, Neil, who left Schaeffler to join the business, to make upgrades to the amusement center.
They fixed the games, moved them around, painted the place and put in new carpet. They have been hard at work renovating the park to restore it to its original glory while adding new attractions, both inside and out.
Acres of Fun is passionate about giving back to the community. The heart of their logo, which features icons for their different activities, is a symbol representing community involvement. The tagline for Acres of Fun is “Come make memories with us.”
After a challenging 2020 and 2021, Wood is hoping to create better memories, and the Small Business of the Year Award gives them hope for continued growth and community partnerships.
[ad_2]
Source link