COOPERSVILLE, Mich. — What do teepees, sleepovers and a Coopersville woman's tremendous passion all have in common? A brand new business along the Lakeshore.
Melissa Hughes has created experiences for all ages to spark imagination and connection.
"I've always liked to go big or go home," said Hughes.
And her new business, Dreamscape Sleepover Parties, is no different.
"I just want to be able to spread joy, and it makes me happy to see other people happy," she said.
Hughes is a preschool teacher in Spring Lake, and as always had a passion for working with children.
"I just love how excited they are about the smallest things," said Hughes. "Everything is so brand new to them, they get so excited, and they just love you unconditionally which is just so fulfilling for me."
So what better way to continue her passion than to create a custom sleepover business to create life-long memories.
"I just needed something that made me happy," Hughes said, "and although I love working at the school, teachers don't make a lot of money, so I had to find something that I enjoyed doing, and making kids happy is what I enjoy doing."
Dreamscape Sleepover Parties will bring imagination to life with all kinds of themes to make one-of-a-kind experiences.
"The kids have to play with themselves," said Hughes. "They're given a place where they have to use their imagination, and they can make it into anything they want."
Right now, there are several themes Hughes is curating like rose gold, mermaids, camping and hunting.
"I also have a gaming theme, and I'm working on a football theme too, that I thought I'd try to get up and running before the Super Bowl," she said. "But the limits are endless. People can come to me with a vision and we will make it happen."
"I like to form relationships," she added, "and I'm hoping that I can do that with this business."
Hughes said that the pandemic has been challenging for everyone, but she's also seen the impact it's had on young children firsthand.
"I think sometimes we forget that the little ones are having just as hard of a time as us, but they just don't know how to tell us," she said, "so being able to do something special and fun for them makes me really happy."
Hughes said that after each party and use of the party items, they are thoroughly sanitized and sent out for professional cleaning. She also added that each party is asked to use their own pillows.
And she wants to make sure people know that it's not just for young kids, either.
"It can be for teenagers, and even adults," she said. "There are so many possibilities, and who doesn't love a sleepover?"
Hughes will work with her clients accordingly to make their vision come to life. And at the end of the day, she said this business is here to create unforgettable experiences and connections.
"I just want us to remember that it's so nice to be little," she said, "and not to let them grow up too quickly and to make those memories with them now, because they won't always be this little."
Anyone who is interested can fill out a contact form on the Dreamscape's Facebook page, which you can find by clicking here.
Related video:
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.