LOCAL SPOTLIGHT: Outer Village, The Sunset

If you're a parent of a small kiddo, this is your new favorite place. 

Outer Village is an absolute cornucopia of connection opportunities for SF parents and kids. It's a play and hangout space, it's a summer camp, it's a community… it's a consignment store! We sat down with founder Jenna McAnulty to talk  about all the fun and creative things going on in this gem of a spot. 

What are the core offerings at Outer Village and who are your clients?

Outer Village is a community space in the Sunset for families with kids 0-8. On 8th Ave we run a free drop-in playroom, a curated secondhand shop, weekly classes - music, yoga, developmental playgroups, family yoga - and parent support groups including a New Moms Group and Fatherhood Group. Our clients are mostly parents of young kids who are looking for somewhere to hang and connect, make new friends, and just get out of the house.

What inspired you to create this business, and what gap were you determined to fill?

I became a mom and realized pretty quickly that San Francisco didn't have a lot of places designed for the in-between moments - not a class, not a playground, not a café, but something that felt like all three. I wanted somewhere my daughter and I could just show up, without a reservation or a reason. The free playroom is the heart of that idea. Everything else grew from it.

What's usually happening on a daily basis at your 8th Ave and 45th Ave locations?

On 8th Avenue, any given morning might have babies in a developmental playgroup, toddlers in music class, or a few parents lingering in the shop while their kids play. The playroom is free and open every day we're open, so there's always a mix of regulars and new faces. 45th Ave is still in flux because of commercial construction delays (!).  That’s where our camps and after-school programs will live - more outdoor time, more movement, and kids and families building deep bonds over time.

Working with all of these local families, you must have some awesome stories. Does one of your favorites come to mind?

When we first opened, the playroom was really novel and not everyone quite understood how it worked. Do I have to pay?  Is this a daycare? Where do I put my shoes?  One day two moms with two toddlers came in and it clicked - they got the kids settled into the playroom, and then walked into the shop (sans shoes) and started chatting and browsing.  They were shoeless, toddler-less, and giddy.  I overhead them saying “Can you believe this is happening? They’re playing in there, while we shop in here?!”  That’s when I knew there was something special here - even if it was unusual. 

How has the reception been for the consignment store?

Really strong - actually surprisingly so.  Everyone is so tired of Facebook and Amazon.  Our consignment process is simple and stuff sells. And people need to know - we have an online store too! So if you’re not in the neighborhood or you want to ship a gift to a friend, we’ve got that too. We've had over 1,500 families come through in less than a year, and a big part of that is the consignment flywheel - people come to consign, stay to shop, and bring a friend to a class next time. It's a real community loop.

Any special upcoming events that parents and kiddos can sign up for?

So much! Our outdoor Summer camp kicks off June 15 - week-long sessions through early August, ages 4-8, all day outside, Spanish enrichment, music, yoga, the works. We also have ongoing weekly classes including music, family yoga, and our developmental playgroup series. And our Fatherhood Group and New Moms Group run in cohorts throughout the year - those tend to fill up fast. 

What do you think is at the top of most parents' wish lists for San Francisco?

Somewhere to go that doesn't cost a fortune, doesn't require planning three months in advance, and feels like a real community rather than a transaction. Parents here are resourceful and they love this city - they just need more places that were actually designed with them in mind. That's the gap we're trying to close.

What's next for Outer Village? Any new services or programs you'd like to develop in the next year or so?

We're launching an after-school program this fall, which we're really excited about - outdoor-first, mixed age, Spanish enrichment, based out of 45th Avenue. Longer term, we're working toward a membership model and eventually a franchise model so that other community-rooted women can bring something like OV to their own neighborhoods. The goal is to make this replicable - because the need isn't just here.

The Sunset is very near and dear to our hearts. What's your favorite thing about serving the Sunset community?

The Sunset already knows how to be a neighborhood, but we all need a little extra nudge here and there - that Type-A friend that gets plans out of the group chat and into the real world. I want to raise my daughter here, and I want to do it with my friends.  The best part of this place is that we have everything - the park, the beach, the food and the people.  Outer Village is all about connecting those dots between us so we can thoroughly enjoy this super special corner of the world.

How can folks stay in the loop of all the cool goings-on at Outer Village?

The best way is our weekly newsletter - it goes out every Sunday and covers everything happening that week plus a little something extra. Folks can sign up at outervillagesf.com. We're also on Instagram at @outervillage.