Gimme a Break opening new day care in east Sioux Falls
Katie Nelson
A longtime Sioux Falls day care is opening a second location on the east side of the city.
The second facility for Gimme-A-Break is being built at 5111 E. Rosa Parks Place, across the street from Rosa Parks Elementary School.
Owner Lori Johnson, who opened the day care's first location at 2425 S. Shirley Ave. back in 2005, hadn't planned on opening a second. But while out jogging in July 2018, she saw a sign for a piece of land for sale adjacent to the elementary school. The location was just too good to pass up.
"Before I knew it, I was signing the lease," Johnson said. "I wouldn't have done it if it wasn't right next door (to the school)."
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The new day care will differ from its other location. The original Gimme-A-Break specializes in drop-ins and stays open until 10 p.m. to accommodate parents with unusual work schedules or evening plans. But the new location will be primarily focused on regular attendees, many of them coming from the nearby school.
"We're still going to offer drop in, but on a much smaller level," Johnson said.
Gimme-A-Break's 8,600-square-foot second location will feature outdoor play areas, an indoor gym with a rock climbing wall, a homework area and an arcade room with an air hockey table, Johnson said. The interior is designed to look like a miniature neighborhood, with each classroom resembling a house. Kids will also be able to paint a window that can be seen from the outside of the building.
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"Our center is going to be gorgeous," Johnson said.
The center is geared toward kids ages 2 through 12 with a focus on an after-school program. Employees will be able to walk next door to Rosa Parks Elementary and shepherd students back to the day care, Johnson said. While the facility can hold up to 134 children, Johnson is limiting it to 80 full-time kids and will take drop-ins between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays.
The new day care is expected to open in March 2020.
"I'm so excited," Johnson said. "Everything's just on track."