“I thought that if I can't find something like that, then I might as well build it,” Reed said.
The backstory
Pikopye’s Town opened in November 2020 after seven months of delayed construction due to the pandemic. Reed said she used the time to figure out who she wanted her business idea to serve.
She said Pikopye’s Town is just as much for parents as it is for kids and features nine custom playhouses, a lounge and open seating.
What’s in a name
Reed named Pikopye’s Town after her now 8-year-old son’s childhood imaginary friend, Pikopye, whose statue stands at the front of the lobby.
Each playhouse was custom-made and shipped by Lilliput Play Homes in Pennsylvania, and they are named after those special to Reed. Micah’s Police Department, for example, is named after her son, and Aiden’s Animal Hospital is named after a golden retriever she used to have.
The tiny town also features places named after Austin businesses, such as the Carby Lane Diner and Half Foods Market.
“Imaginative play is one of the things that really prepares the kids,” Reed said. “No one wants to really go and buy [playhouses] and put them in the backyard unless you have so much money to really waste because how many years is it going to be played with?”
What else?
In addition to everyday play, Pikopye’s Town can be reserved for birthday parties; hosts special events for holidays, such as Mother’s Day; and hosts summer camps.
Reed said she hopes the love she and her team share for each other translates to the work that goes into running Pikopye’s Town.
“It's not just the community outside of this business; it's a community inside of this business,” Reed said. “That is what makes us unique—not the business but my people.”
Seeing families return year after year to celebrate another birthday makes the hard work all worth it, she said.
“They know and appreciate, and are grateful for what we built, what I built,” Reed said. “It's for them. This is not for me.”
- 2919 Menchaca Road, Ste. 205, Austin
- www.pikopyestown.com
