Tumble And Tea Cafe

Gina DeCarlo

A mother makes a special space—and scones—for parents and kids.

I went through a bitter divorce when my daughter, Leila, was only one-and-a-half years old. Suddenly, it was just the two of us. Watching her took up a lot of my time, and other than a park or a museum, I couldn’t find many places that we could both enjoy.

The idea of a space for both children and caregivers stuck with me. So I developed the concept of a posh café with a kid’s play area. I put every dollar I had into the business, working on the cafe while Leila napped. In August 2006, I opened Tumble and Tea Café in Oakland, California. We were a hit from day one. Since then, we’ve received more than 600 requests for businesses. More important, I get to do what I love—without giving up time with Leila.