Greg Hays was responsible for setting up battlefield communication systems for troops when he served in Iraq. Now, he’s no longer concerned with signals bouncing around, but rather keeping kids bouncing.
“I decided that when I got back, I wanted to do something fun,” said Hays.
So Hays, along with his wife Ruth and friends Craig and Amanda Allen, opened BubKat Bounce! at 1021 Ballston Lake Road in Clifton Park. They’ve been open since early June and held their formal grand opening on Friday, June 29.
“BubKat” is a combination of all of their children’s names.
The place is part bounce house, part obstacle course and is included in Players Park, which provides miniature golf and a concession stand(also run by Hays), among other attractions for children ranging from toddlers to teens.
There’s something for the adults too, in a nine-hole par three golf course.
Hays and his wife had always worked with kids and in fact, had met while both were camp counselors at a wildlife sanctuary in Yorktown. They moved to Albany in the late ‘90s for a few years to explore college options and wound up loving the area.
They returned to the Capital Region in 2006 after Hays finished his military service. He could have moved “basically anywhere on the Army’s dime” and chose Upstate New York.
“We had always been bouncing around ideas — no pun intended — on what we could do to start a family business, more kid oriented and more fun,” said Hays who was earning an MBA from Saint Rose while deciding on what business venture to embark on.
Debbie Pernat of Sloansville and her 7-year-old daughter have found their way to BubKat more than once.
“They are friendly, family oriented, and safety conscious. They have great food and they have the best treats in the area, like pops and cupcakes. Right after work today we are heading to their ribbon cutting event at Player’s Park,” said Pernat on Friday, June 21.
While they were here in the ‘90s, Hays and Allen worked in the food industry, training that is shaping the menu for what will soon be more than your typical concession fare.
“We took jobs at The Cranberry Bog. We started there as dishwashers as teenagers and within a year or two we were promoted to line cooks,” Hays said.
By the end of the month they expect to offer a full menu, which will include specialty burgers. They also buy local foods whenever they can, such as from Sorrentio’s Deli and Market.
Hays is hoping to make an impact beyond what he can do at his own place of business, though.
“The bounce house industry is completely unregulated…there’s no insurance requirement, there’s no safety requirement. That’s a real problem and something that we’re actually working on getting a voice toward,” said Hays.
According to Hays, Pennsylvania and New Jersey are the only states with any regulations, and as such BubKat Bounce! adheres to those standards, which includes using lead-free equipment.
Hays and his partners are working with Event Planners Association, a national organization, so that they can form a local chapter for the Capital District.
“Part of what they do is lobby for different things in the industry and one of the things that’s important to us … is we want to be able to guide or be a part of that guiding force in terms of establishing set safety standards. These are our kids we’re talking about … cutting corners in that regard doesn’t make sense,” said Hays.
BubKat also features themes days such as Mommy Mondays, Toddler Tuesdays and WhoaDaddy Wednesdays, as well as daily and weekly food specials. They also provide bounce house rentals and a venue for birthday parties. For more information, visit the business online at bubkatbounce.com.
