Think there is nothing to do in Bradford? Well, the staff at Cosmo’s Lounge begs to differ.
The new local hot hangout spot is family friendly and filled with activities and materials that are sure to help you tap into your playful side. It is your go-to spot for creativity, connection and collaboration.
The new business, located at 443 E. Main St., opened on New Year’s Eve.
“Our primary audience is children in grades 6 through 12 but we do have hours set aside for adults and teens,” said owner Ashley Colosimo Gross.
“We also welcome families to come and play together.”
The business is open to all ages from 2:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. On Thursday it is open from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. to all ages, and from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. for adults only. On Friday it is open to all ages from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., and from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. specifically for teenagers, grades 6 through 12. On Saturday it is open to all ages from noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday it is open to all ages from noon to 4 p.m.
It costs $5 per person to enter. There are snacks available for purchase inside. However, all activities are completely free and the price at the door never changes, even on days when someone is offering a workshop.
Cosmo’s Lounge has a huge variety of activities. They offer ping pong and pool tables, video games, board games, art supplies, books and tabletop games and puzzles, amongst other activities. There is truly something for everyone.
“Really we have anything that you can think of to help you be creative whether that is through individual play or group play,” said Gross. “If there is something people want that I don’t already have I am open to recommendations.”
Gross will also host classes.
Cosmo’s Lounge is a space that is meant for all ages, but Gross has a particularly soft spot in her heart for local teenagers. She herself was shy as a teen but blossomed in college after finding open mic nights and poetry slams.
“I was shocked that it was a real thing because I had never seen performances like that or heard poetry spoken in that way,” said Gross.
“I hope that maybe with all the things we offer here, kids can explore new things at a much younger age and find themselves a little bit earlier than I did as an adult.”
Gross is focused on offering open ended creative exploration for both adults and children.
“I really want people to come and try things where it is not so structured; where they can just come and play and follow their intuition.”
Gross hopes that Cosmo’s Lounge will serve as a “third place” for locals. The term was first coined by American sociologist Ray Oldenburg to describe places outside the home (first place) or workplace (second place) where people can go to enjoy one another’s company and connect with their community.
“I wanted to offer a safe space where people could go to meet with their neighbors and maybe learn something new,” said Gross.
“Even for me as an adult there isn’t much for me to do here that isn’t located at a bar and sometimes I don’t want to see my friends at a bar.”
Gross will also offer workshops, all still for the same $5 at the door.
“We have Groovy Glaze coming on Jan. 31,” said Gross. “We did a teen night at Groovy Glaze last month and had over 30 kids in attendance.”
Other workshops in the pipeline include Pet CPR and an art day with staff from Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services. For more information, check out cosmosloungebradford.com or Cosmo’s Lounge Facebook page.
This post was originally published on here
