CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Jump Street, an indoor playground for kids, is the latest tenant at Charleston Town Center Mall. And if the dozen or more 4-year-olds from a South Charleston day-care center who got a sneak preview Tuesday were any indication, the place could be a winner.

The brainchild of a group of local -- and private -- investors, Jump Street is a collection of eight inflatables, those giant air-filled slides, mazes and trampolines.

"We've been open for a couple days now," general manager Missi Prettyman said during a noon news conference on Tuesday, "but our grand opening is on Saturday. They can start coming in now. We're ready for them."

The center occupies most of the space formerly leased by Steve & Barry's, on the second floor of the mall at the Court Street end.

Rows of cubbyholes line the wall to the right of the main entrance, ready to hold the shoes that patrons remove before using the jumps. Socks are required, for hygiene. Staff will sell you a pair for as little as $2 if needed.

"It's for ages 1 to 18," said Lisa McCracken, the mall's marketing director. "They even encourage parents and grandparents to get in and jump with them."

Don't think of it as a day-care center, though. You can't just drop off your kids and go shopping. Kids must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

"We look at it as a big gymnasium," McCracken said, as a screeching toddler made a beeline toward one of the jumps.

"An hour of running and screaming here, they'll be ready for naptime."

Admission is $7, plus tax, "for all day or as long as you can stay," she said.

At least one of the jumps is set aside for kids age 5 and under, Prettyman said, "which keeps the bigger kids from jumping on them."

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Jump Street, an indoor playground for kids, is the latest tenant at Charleston Town Center Mall. And if the dozen or more 4-year-olds from a South Charleston day-care center who got a sneak preview Tuesday were any indication, the place could be a winner.

The brainchild of a group of local -- and private -- investors, Jump Street is a collection of eight inflatables, those giant air-filled slides, mazes and trampolines.

"We've been open for a couple days now," general manager Missi Prettyman said during a noon news conference on Tuesday, "but our grand opening is on Saturday. They can start coming in now. We're ready for them."

The center occupies most of the space formerly leased by Steve & Barry's, on the second floor of the mall at the Court Street end.

Rows of cubbyholes line the wall to the right of the main entrance, ready to hold the shoes that patrons remove before using the jumps. Socks are required, for hygiene. Staff will sell you a pair for as little as $2 if needed.

"It's for ages 1 to 18," said Lisa McCracken, the mall's marketing director. "They even encourage parents and grandparents to get in and jump with them."

Don't think of it as a day-care center, though. You can't just drop off your kids and go shopping. Kids must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

"We look at it as a big gymnasium," McCracken said, as a screeching toddler made a beeline toward one of the jumps.

"An hour of running and screaming here, they'll be ready for naptime."

Admission is $7, plus tax, "for all day or as long as you can stay," she said.

At least one of the jumps is set aside for kids age 5 and under, Prettyman said, "which keeps the bigger kids from jumping on them."

Teens might be more attracted to the bigger ones, like those on either side of the entrance.

"This one on the left, it's got hidden passages, it's got dead ends."

The 4-year-olds from Kiddie Kollege Daycare seemed to find it equally appealing.

Like McCracken, Prettyman declined to name the owners.

"It's a local group of investors who decided they wanted someplace safe for their kids to play."

Terms of the lease are open-ended, McCracken said.

"If it's popular we look forward to making it a permanent location. They've already booked birthday parties in April."

The group is working with other mall merchants like Dairy Queen, Great American Cookie Company and Sbarro to coordinate private parties and other special events for church and school groups.

For information about Jump Street, call Prettyman at 304-807-8077.

Reach Jim Balow at ba...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5102.