Zapa Projects is creating quite the buzz in downtown Acton, and not just because of the visual feast its modern storefront creates. The new business is brewing up some of the most unique coffee in town with an Australian twist alongside a play space for children.
“Aussies being coffee snobs, they're particular on the texture, as well as how much milk is going in,” said Kaylee O’Sullivan, who co-owns the shop with her Australian husband, John.
While this flair goes into how the drinks are made, the menu itself at Zapa would be familiar to seasoned coffee drinkers. Mochas, espressos, Assam tea and a lot more are all there.
The O'Sullivans are hoping to fill a niche where both parents and kids will enjoy themselves in the same space. When looking for their own family outings, the couple noticed they had a choice between two vastly different options. They could either pick settings that catered to adults but bore the kids, or venues for kids' entertainment that had nothing to do for adults. No in-between solution was readily available.
“So we thought, why not combine the two and make it a place that parents feel welcome, and so do the kids,” said O'Sullivan.
The result is a space with a pleasing atmosphere for the grown-ups and lots to do for the kids. The interior is modelled on a traditional coffee farm from Costa Rica, where they spent some time. A play area next to the coffee bar, a bouncy castle room in the back and a Foosball table are there to occupy the minds of children.
“It's not just for moms or dads or kids. It's for all families, however your family looks like. A single person or a couple. We wanted a place to feel welcome for everybody,” said O'Sullivan.
For $10 an hour, patrons can book time in the bouncy castle room for their kids while the grown-ups share in coffee and conversation.
O'Sullivan said she's thinking about turning the back parking lot into a patio, getting extended hours and maybe even adding beer taps in the future.
Zapa Projects recently received a $7,395 facade improvement grant from the Town of Halton Hills to support renovations to its storefront. Councillor Jon Hurst called the coffee and event space “warm and inviting.”
The O'Sullivans met in 2006 when Kaylee followed an Australian friend to her home country to go backpacking. The couple lived in Melbourne for five years before moving to Canada.They moved around the country to far-flung locales like the North West Territories and British Columbia before bringing John’s shipping business to Acton in 2017.
In case you're wondering, no - the name Zapa Projects is not in honour of musician Frank Zappa. It's a portmanteau of the O'Sullivan children's names, Zak and Parker.
