Moms take sleepovers to a new level
Kristin Cummings and Erika Johnson met several years ago, when their kids took lessons at the same swim club. The two young mothers quickly became fast friends, their families vacationing together. And now they’re in business together.
Last year, Cummings and Johnson started St. Pete Slumber Co., which arranges themed slumber parties complete with colorful tents, decorative pillows, cascading balloons and other accoutrements. Business has been so good they’ve started offering photo sessions and celebratory yard cards.
“We had slumber parties when we were kids,” Cummings said, “but not like this.”
A St. Petersburg, Florida, native, Cummings is a speech language pathologist and dance teacher with two kids. Johnson, originally from Chicago, is a photographer who homeschools her son and daughter. A few years ago, a Pinterest post of a teepee over a bed sparked the idea of using tentlike structures for slumber parties. “We thought this would be something really fun that we would all be able to take part in because of our separate skills – Erika being a photographer, her husband a carpenter,” Cummings said.
The pandemic stalled plans until last year, when she and Johnson noticed that someone on Facebook was selling tent frames and covers, air mattresses and party accessories. Taking it as a sign that it would be a perfect time to start their own business, they bought the entire lot. Next steps were hiring a web designer, forming a limited liability company and buying extra fabric to make their own tent covers. Johnson took photos for advertising purposes.
St. Pete Slumber Co. launched during the holiday season with a Grinch-themed party for nine kids. “It was someone we knew,” Cummings said, “so we felt comfortable asking her for input and getting feedback on what they thought was great and what it might be nice to see in the future.”
Since then, they’ve staged parties with themes that have included Parisian with a toy poodle and miniature Eiffel
Tower, ice cream social, video gaming and a campsite with camouflage tents, army hats and log-shaped pillows. Coming up are parties with tropical themes.
Depending on the number of tents and air mattresses, it takes Johnson and Cummings at least an hour to set up. They can provide a photo booth with appropriate backdrop. They return the next day to pack up.
St. Pete Slumber has marketed itself by donating gift baskets to school auctions and to a nonprofit that helps children and families. And word-of-mouth advertising from friends and clients has played a big part.
“It’s been super cool to see the growth of it,” Johnson said.