MAPLETON — Brooke Garvey always dreamed of opening a daycare, but wasn’t sure where to start when it came to starting her own business. Then she saw a Facebook post that solved everything.
The Mapleton Economic Development Authority bought property in town and is building a one-bedroom house for an in-home daycare for up to 12 kids. It’s the first of its kind, said Jeff Andrews, president of Business of Child Care in Bloomington.
His firm collaborated with the Mapleton EDA on a $175,120 grant they received in February from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development to build the daycare. Remaining funds were raised by national, state and local sources, Andrews said.
When it came time for the EDA to lease the property to an operator, the city of Mapleton posted the opportunity on its Facebook page and that’s where Garvey stepped in.
“I absolutely love the concept,” Garvey wrote in an email. “This unique set-up is bringing my dream to life in a way I never could have imagined. With the support of the city, it truly feels like we’re becoming part of the Mapleton community.”
The daycare, named Tiny Roots, will open Oct. 1 at 502 Grove St. SE in Mapleton. At the outset, it’ll be only Garvey running the daycare and she’ll start out with five children. She plans to grow and will eventually care for about 10 children ages 6 weeks to 7 years old, she said.
Garvey grew up in Rochester and moved to Mankato after high school to attend college. She started working with toddlers at Pemberton Academic Learning Services in Pemberton.
Later, she was offered an opportunity at River’s Edge Hospital and Clinic in St. Peter. At the hospital, leadership had created a childcare department for their employees.
“It was such a wonderful experience filled with so many good memories,” Garvey said. “Sadly, the department eventually closed and I returned to Pemberton.”
Around the same time, Garvey and her boyfriend found a hobby farm in the country outside Mapleton where they’re now raising their 2-year-old son with another baby on the way. They also have goats, chickens, and ducks running around “which makes for a busy but very fulfilling life,” she said.
Garvey said her passion for child care dates back to high school. However, she wasn’t sure where to begin when it came to starting her own daycare.
“I found out about this opportunity through the city of Mapleton, Minnesota’s Facebook page,” she said.
“The post immediately caught my attention because opening my own in-home childcare has always been a dream of mine. I had a passion for caring for children since high school but I wasn’t sure where to start when it came to opening my own business.
“It is amazing to be able to make this dream become a reality with the support of the city. Together, we are creating a solution where high quality child care meets affordability right here in Mapleton.”
She believes in a child-led approach to child care, one where children are free to “grow and explore at their own pace in an environment that supports their curiosity and builds their confidence,” she said.
“My goal is to nurture their development in a space that feels safe, supportive and just like home.”
Andrews said until now the only daycare options for families are traditional in-home daycares or centers. What Mapleton has done is “a marquee way to do it because you’re creating the whole structure,” he said.
He said it’s a trend that younger women such as Garvey want to go out on their own and focus on early education, but don’t want to work in a daycare center.
She’s a perfect fit for Tiny Roots, he said.
“Brooke has been in this realm for several years and has a passion for the work,” Andrews said.
Mapleton mayor Jeff Annis said Garvey is a perfect fit for the job.
“From what I’ve heard she checked all the boxes,” he said.
“She is super excited about starting a business and she already had a name for it. We’re super excited to have her on board.”