Bounce house business growing by leaps and bounds

When Tanya Goehring’s son Gavin was young, every birthday meant a party with a bounce house the family rented. 

And when his sister Kyah was born, that tradition continued — two parties, two bounce houses — until Kyah’s second birthday, when the rental company they called for the bounce house stopped delivering to Grafton, where they lived then.

Goehring bought a bounce house online, and from there a business was born.

“Our friends started calling, asking if they could use it for their kids’ birthdays,” she said. “And then their friends called to ask if they could use it.”

In that first year, she made enough money that Goehring was able to buy five new bounce houses, forming the foundation for James Mae Rentals in Adell.

The company takes its name from her children’s middle names — Gavin James Krajenka and Kyah Mae Krajenka, who today are 20 and 15, respectively.

“This was a business for their future,” Goehring said. “We jokingly called it their business. They’re excited about it.”

When they started the business, she said, the kids would come along and work and she would pay them.

“They still help and ask if they can work,” Goehring said.

  The business has grown every year, Goehring said, noting they have 46 bounce houses, inflatable slides and games now, as well as six tents, tables, more than 300 chairs, a dunk tank, cornhole and concession items for rent.

“It’s nice for people to get everything from one place. They’re nice add-ons,” she said. “We keep thinking that’s all we’re going to do,” but they keep adding to the inventory.

“The customer influences what we buy,” Goehring added.

The business is a lot of work and takes up their weekends, especially in summer, Goehring said, but it is worthwhile.

“I love it. It’s a joyful job,” she said. “It can be stressful, but everyone’s happy.”

Her husband and business partner Travis added, “The kids are so excited when you show up and they’re bummed when you take it away, but they tell us how amazing the party was. Both parents and kids are saying, ‘Best party ever.’”

But the bounce houses aren’t just for kids, the couple said.

“Adults, they have fun too,” Travis said.

His wife added, “Adults turn into kids. They’ll tell them, ‘I’ll show you how to do this.’”

Bounce houses aren’t just for birthday parties, the couple said.

“We rent them for graduation parties, baby showers, college parties,” Goehring said.

They also rent the houses for events, such as festivals, school fairs, corporate events and open houses like the ones being held at fire departments throughout the area this month.

The houses run the gamut in size from 13-by-13 feet to a 91-foot long obstacle course that’s 18 feet tall.

“People love that for events,” Travis said.

Many of the bounce houses follow a theme, such as Hot Wheels, Legos, Minecraft, dinosaurs or unicorns and princesses.

They weigh hundreds of pounds each, so the couple recently purchased two electric dollies to help move them.

“It makes the day a lot easier,” Goehring said.

James Mae Rentals delivers and sets up the bounce houses, slides, games, tents, tables and chairs it rents. Their two trailers are busy all weekend, the couple said, with Travis estimating they typically make 30 deliveries on the weekend through the summer and fall.

If it rains, people can cancel their rental for a full refund and reschedule.

“Normally people don’t cancel,” Goehring said.

The cost starts at $145 a day for the small houses, with slide combos running in the $200s, obstacle courses about $395 and the largest obstacle course costing $715.

Families typically start by renting the small bounce house to see what it’s about, Travis said, then in the following years rent larger houses or add other features.

“Once people get a slide, they never go back to just a bounce house,” Goehring said.

“A lot of these families have been renting from us for all these years,” Travis said “It’s fun to see them all through the stages of life — graduation, weddings, birthdays.”

It may seem like a bounce house business is an easy way to make money, but that’s not necessarily the case.

Bounce houses require upkeep, the couple said.

“Water is our worst nightmare,” Travis said. Bounce houses get moldy, and it can happen quickly.

Leaves are another issue, he said. Maple leaves especially can stain the material used in the bounce houses, and those stains won’t come out.

And while food and drink are prohibited in the bounce houses and inflatables, people sometimes bring them in, spills occur and sometimes children have accidents.

Usually the parents will clean up after them, the couple said, but after the inflatables are returned they get a thorough cleaning.

And when the bounce houses and add-ons are collected, it’s inevitable that the children are sad — but there’s optimism as well, the couple said.

“They say, ‘Next year I’m going to get this one,’” Goehring said.