Good news for St. Louis parents: Urban Fort Play is back.
After months of anticipation, the Urban Fort Play (3701 Foundry Way) indoor play space is now open inside City Foundry STL, finally merging the beloved former concept with its thoughtfully curated toy shop within the Midtown destination. The locally owned spot gives young kids a safe place to climb, explore, and burn off energy while caregivers sip nearby coffee, catch up with friends, or simply take a well-earned breather.
For many families, the reopening feels like the return of a much-needed community hub. When the original iteration of Urban Fort Play and Honeycomb—two favorite gathering spots for parents and little ones—closed within months of each other in 2023, it left a noticeable gap for city families looking for places to play, connect, and spend time together. Now, under new owner Erin Prewitt, Urban Fort Play is opening its doors again with an expanded vision: a thoughtfully designed space that supports caregivers just as much as it entertains kids.
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A Play Space Built for Kids—and Caregivers
The new 4,600-square-foot space sits inside City Foundry across from Puttshack and underneath Fresh Thyme. Inside, young kids can explore a variety of toys and play structures in a fully enclosed play environment (socks are required), while adults relax nearby or keep an eye on the action.
Parents can grab a drink from Blueprint Coffee—served in the café, which is expected to be fully operational March 21—at City Foundry and settle in while their kids play. Whether that means chatting with other caregivers, taking a breather, or getting a bit of work done in one of the space’s meeting rooms, the setup is designed with flexibility in mind. The facility includes a child-friendly bathroom as well, another small but thoughtful detail for those navigating outings with little ones.
Pricing is $16 for the first child ages 2 and up, with additional children ages 2 and up costing $11 each. For now, visits are walk-in only, though online booking is expected to be available later.
A Toy Shop That’s Growing Alongside the Play Space
Urban Fort Play isn’t just a play space—it’s also home to a thoughtfully curated kids’ boutique and a café.
While the toy shop side of the business has been operating in City Foundry for some time, it will now move into the same storefront as the play space, allowing the retail area to expand alongside the play environment. The shop features a selection of toys, gifts, and kid-friendly items that make it easy to shop for birthdays, baby showers, and holidays.
The new location also includes a party and classroom space designed for birthday celebrations and community programming such as art classes, music sessions, yoga, story time pop-ups, and other family-friendly workshops. As an introductory program, on March 21, Urban Fort Play will welcome local children’s artist Marko Polo for playing families at 10 a.m.
Rebuilding a Community Hub for Families
For Prewitt, the reopening represents more than just bringing back a play destination—it’s about restoring a community resource for caregivers across the city.
“The central mission of Urban Fort is to provide support and a community hub for families in the city of St. Louis,” says Prewitt, who lives in Shaw. “When we lost Urban Fort and Honeycomb at about the same time, there was a very distinct sense of loss of resources and outlets for both parents and kiddos in the city. It was very important to the mission to stay in the city, and I’m thrilled that we were able to make that work.”
Prewitt purchased Urban Fort Play in 2024 after the previous iteration temporarily shut down. A mother of two who previously spent a decade in the military followed by another decade in tech marketing, she says the venture combines her professional experience with her desire to build something meaningful for families in St. Louis.
“Urban Fort is a service,” she says. “We hope families come and have a good time and everyone leaves happy. But we also recognize caregivers are juggling a lot. We want this to be a place where people can show up and feel supported.”
Prewitt also hopes the business can partner with local nonprofits to broaden access to the space, potentially offering scholarships for classes or reduced rates for families who could benefit from them.
“Parenthood is challenging no matter who you are,” she says. “Being able to reach out and make these opportunities available to more families—that’s something I really love.”
With its return, Urban Fort Play once again gives St. Louis families a place to gather, connect, and let kids burn off energy while caregivers recharge.
“Our core business is to help caregivers,” Prewitt says. “Give them a place to go, give the kids an outlet, and create a beautiful space where both adults and the kiddos are excited to spend time.”
