Father and daughter playing

When researching a kid’s gym franchise, it’s possible several names come to mind. While often identified as a family entertainment center or trampoline park, Launch Entertainment is still very much a kid’s gym franchise. With ample opportunity for active play and promoting exercise among youth, Launch has cemented itself as a clear industry leader and standout investment. 

A franchise that encourages active play, exercise  

When thinking of active play, many people think of Launch Entertainment. With tons of amenities for all ages, we have completely revolutionized the trampoline park industry. Our family entertainment center franchise started as a trampoline park, but today is nothing short of an indoor amusement park. 

One of the ways we differentiate ourselves in the market is through our all-inclusive customer base. It’s true we’re a great option for engaging kids in physical play, and we’re constantly evolving to add more family entertainment activities. But we also happen to be a destination of choice for fun-loving people of all ages. We’re a family entertainment center that caters to more than just families.

The perfect alternative to a kid’s gym

The founders of Launch Entertainment always had a vision to create an experience that appeals to all ages. It’s fun for family nights, date nights, work events, and college outings. This means we cast a net for a broader customer base, which can potentially mean a more diverse revenue stream for greater profitability. Compared to a kid’s gym that requires a more structured environment geared toward younger children in a limited age bracket, Launch Entertainment may be able to maintain more long-term, repeat customers.  

To participate in the pre-scheduled programs of some kid’s gyms, children must be enrolled by a parent or guardian. With Launch, customers come at their convenience for a fun time, although they can book ahead for parties and special events. 

Launch is constantly adding new attractions that appeal to everyone who walks in our doors. Trampoline courts, dodgeball, and rock climbing are just a few examples. Our activities allow kids and adults alike to play in a big way. 

When it comes to making sure kids get enough activity, Launch is perfect. You don’t need specialized knowledge as a franchise owner to make sure you’re providing the right kind of enrichment and physical development training for the 4-12 crowd; you just need to know how to spread the word in your community and make your business the go-to spot for fun. 

Entertainment through exercise

Launch is designed to get people pumped up and excited to move. From the obstacle course and laser tag to the Launch Pad and tumble tracks, Launch has much more to offer than a kid’s gym franchise. Many times, parents want an outlet for their children that requires them to simply enter a building and have fun until the kids are worn out, no extra fuss. Launch Entertainment provides that, too. Parents can enjoy themselves in our on-site restaurant or join in the fun with their kids.

Consider Franchising with Launch

Launch Entertainment has perfected the formula for a successful business, with ongoing support and guidance to steer you on the path toward success. Launch has been open for business since 2012, and started franchising just a year later. 

When you work with the Launch team, you’ll be able to count on a widespread network of support from other franchisees and the corporate office. We offer ample pre-opening training as well as ongoing support throughout the life of your franchise.  

To learn more about the benefits of owning a Launch Entertainment franchise, please fill out this contact form and one of our franchise development representatives will be in touch.

Bowling is a time-honored tradition. It’s been part of Friday night fun with the family, friends, or a date night for decades. The question, though, is how profitable is a bowling alley franchise in 2022?

The bowling industry is working to rebuild after facing a steep decline. While bowling alleys are slowly rising again in popularity, what is catapulting into the spotlight is family entertainment centers.

Below, we’ll provide why investing in an entertainment center that includes a bowling alley is a much more promising business venture.

How Much Can a Bowling Alley Franchise Owner Make?

The most pivotal factor when looking to establish a successful bowling alley is location. Many bowling alleys are seeing a higher profit if they’re in the neighborhoods where families have a combined household income of over $100,000 a year.

Alternatively, the family entertainment center industry is predicted to see immense growth in the upcoming years. According to a market data forecast, the global entertainment centers market size is projected to reach around $50 billion by the end of 2026. Centers like these become destinations. People will seek out centers that provide entertainment for every member of their friend group or family.

Bowling Industry Growth Trajectory

To take a look at the future of the bowling alley franchise, let’s do a quick recap of the past. There’s been a consistent downward trend in the bowling industry, which saw a 0.3% decline between 2017 and 2022. The market size of bowling in the U.S. has declined faster than in the arts, entertainment, and recreation sectors.

The primary damaging factor to the bowling industry is high competition and its lack of appeal to younger consumers.

The future of bowling and its profitability is there, but it will take work. Bowling centers must transform into family-friendly destinations with upscale amenities that appeal to people of all ages while maintaining the traditional components of a bowling alley.

Why Might a Family Entertainment Center be More Profitable?

A multi-activity family center may offer you the potential for higher ROI because of its ability to be a destination for a much broader swath of customers.

You’d be investing in an industry that doesn’t need an image makeover and doesn’t have to worry that consumer trends will shift away from their lone activity. The variety of games, food, and activities offer endless combinations and the flexibility to update quickly when consumer habits change. A bowling alley is often included in these entertainment centers, so if your heart is set on having a bowling alley, it’s still completely within your reach.

The family entertainment center is making strides in an industry that’s only trending upward. These facilities continue to adapt to meet consumer needs and trends, and their ability to evolve and match their customer’s needs is what will continue to earn them success.

How Launch Entertainment is an Industry Leader

Launch Entertainment sets itself apart from other entertainment centers with our innovative adaptations. Ours is a business that runs on creating long-lasting memories, for every age and interest. This mindset has created an abundance of innovative ideas and attractions that make Launch more than a regular trampoline park — and so much more than just a bowling alley.

Consider Investing in a Launch Franchise

If owning a bowling alley is on your mind, you can have that and so much more with a family entertainment center like Launch.

Launch empowers our franchisees to enjoy the independence of small-business ownership while being supported by a big-business network. If you’re interested in owning your own entertainment center, fill out this form and we’ll be in touch!

As many of you know, the Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, is starting to make its way around the world, and our hearts go out to all who have been affected by this outbreak. First and foremost, Launch takes the safety and well-being of our guests and employees very seriously. The situation is changing daily, and we are watching it closely so we can be prepared to take all the proper precautions to make sure everyone stays safe.

Over the past couple of weeks, we have been following recommendations from the CDC and related government and health agencies, as well as connecting with other business leaders who are actively sharing best practices and resources for keeping our guests and employees safe. The openness and collaboration across companies has been inspiring and heartwarming and has helped us immensely as we have developed our own response plans.

We are happy to share that Launch Entertainment Parks are welcoming guests as usual and are doing everything we can so you can continue to create amazing memories with us, knowing you are in good hands! We do appreciate your understanding that, as a customer, your Launch Experience may look slightly different as we navigate through this time together.

While our day to day cleaning procedures are already very comprehensive, we are increasing our in place processes to keep our facilities a safe and welcoming environment for all guests and staff, given the current situation. Launch Entertainment Parks have increased both professional cleaning schedules and updated and increased in-house cleaning by current staff to clean and sanitize frequently touched surfaces (handrails, doorknobs, restrooms, counters, dodgeballs, arcade games and prizes, waiver stations, etc.), attractions, and equipment throughout the day. In addition to this, we are always closed one day per week to do a thorough, deep clean of our entire facility.

We ask all staff and guests to wash their hands frequently, use hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes often, and to refrain from coming into the park when they are symptomatic of an illness, from the common cold to the flu.

We have modified operations in many of our parks in order to provide a safe and enjoyable experience to our guests. We have adapted the park experience by decreasing capacity to allow fewer guests in the building at one time and/or by limiting seating to improve social distancing. As a last resort, we will close a park if we feel it is in the best interest of our guests and staff, or if we are directed to do so by government authorities. In any such situation, we expect this disruption to be temporary.

Thank you for being part of our Launch family. We are truly privileged to serve you and your community. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Sincerely,

Rob Arnold
CEO | Launch Family Entertainment

Launch in Prince George’s County, MD was home to the 2020 Kids Fashion Week DMV Promo Video shoot recently and we could not be more excited to share the final teaser with you all! Did you know that KFWDMV is a non-profit 501c3 company that is FOR KIDS AND BY KIDS?! Launch is so happy to support this organization and we encourage you to check them out!

Kidd O’Shea stopped by Launch Trampoline Parkin Capitol Heights to help children put down those controllers and put their gaming skills to the test! The amusement center includes a laser tag arena, rock climbing wall, ropes courses, and signature trampoline courts dedicated to dodgeball and slam dunk basketball.

Three local investors team up for $2M indoor family fun center

A trio of entrepreneurs is investing $2 million in a large indoor family fun center planned near Columbia Center mall in Kennewick.

Developers hope to make an announcement soon about the location for Washington state’s first Launch Trampoline Park and hope to open it by the end of summer 2019.

Franchisee and co-owner Will McKay is excited to bring a new entertainment option to town. “The Tri-Cities is a growing place. Not only do we have people who live here looking for new entertainment options, but we have so many sports activities and tournaments where people come to town and say, ‘What else are we going to do here?’ ”

Launch Trampoline Park was co-founded by a former New England Patriots football player Ty Law, who’s expected to attend the grand opening, along with Walla Walla native and NFL veteran Drew Bledsoe.

The site will be owned and operated by three longtime friends, including Will McKay, owner of W. McKay Construction, Jourdan Nicholls, a Kennewick podiatrist, and Jeff Morgan, a dentist and owner of Grandridge Dental.

The idea was dreamed up by McKay after visiting FLIPnOUT Xtreme in Las Vegas, an amusement park which offered more than just trampolines.

“We jumped for a while, then went and played laser tag. I have four kids, and there’s not much to do in the winter, so I wanted to bring something like that to the Tri-Cities,” McKay said. “And with my current business, I could do this a lot cheaper than a lot of other people.”

He recruited friends he’s known since high school as fellow investors, and started researching potential franchises.

“Launch was in the top five trampoline park franchises on six or seven blogs I looked at,” McKay said.

Entrepreneur magazine’s recent 40th annual ranking of the top 500 franchises lists Rhode Island-based Launch at No. 248.

Within weeks, McKay was on the East Coast for a “discovery day” to see how a park of this style is set up and operating.

The team is investing about a half-million dollars alone in the trampoline equipment, which will be connected to form one giant jumping surface with angled trampoline walls. In addition, there will be a laser tag arena, virtual reality, dodgeball court, climbing wall, bowling alley, indoor playground, ninja course, foam pit, arcade games and potentially a zip line that runs the length of the facility, which is expected to be about 30,000 square feet.

Initial admission is likely to include at least trampoline and laser tag use, with additional offerings at an added cost. McKay said that in some locations, guests visit Launch exclusively to bowl and not to access any other varied entertainment options.

With a current trampoline park already near the mall in Kennewick, McKay isn’t worried about saturating the market. He believes his business won’t be in direct competition with places like Chuck E. Cheese, which he helped build, or iPlay Experience, an indoor playground also opening near the mall.

McKay said his business model is more focused on attracting the older elementary kids, up to adults.

“It’s no secret that indoor trampoline parks have become a significant contender in the family-entertainment industry, but we’re more than just a trampoline park,” said Launch co-founder Rob Arnold. “Technology is changing at an astonishing pace, and with family entertainment you need to be right on top of things and evolve quickly in order to stay relevant and fun and cool.”

Launch will serve food, including make-your-own pizzas described by McKay as “killer,” which may be ordered inside the Krave restaurant, as well as make-your-own ice cream sundaes. The location will have the ability to hold birthday parties, team-building activities and other private events. It has not been decided if alcohol will be served in any portion of the entertainment center.

According to a news release, there are 20 Launch Trampoline Parks open throughout 13 states, with more than 30 additional parks in various stages of development throughout the U.S.

Admission costs and expected operating hours have not yet been determined, but McKay said Launch’s prices will “be competitive” with the region. Family bundles may be offered for multiple attractions. McKay expects to hire at least four to five people in management, but didn’t yet have an overall expectation of the total number of employees, which will eventually be determined in line with hours of operation.

Once a lease is signed for the location, McKay expected construction could get underway within six weeks to meet the targeted opening date of late summer. W. McKay Construction will be the general contractor for the project.

For more information visit, launchtrampolinepark.com.