Staying In? Pump it Up.

Photos by Emma Highfill, Rose Wheat Photography

Brothers Troy and Travis Maurath, are owners of Ultimate Bounce where residential customers can choose just the right inflatable to rev up the fun factor for kids and neighbors.

Picture your kids walking right onto the coolest new attraction and going as many times as they want. Needing an energy boost, they head to the front of the snow cone line, where they get all the sugary ice they can slurp. Now imagine watching it all from a cushioned chair, shaded by an expansive umbrella.

This isn’t a too-good-to-be-true day at a theme park. It’s what could happen if you turned your backyard into the hottest staycation destination on the block.

Ultimate Bounce, a local business that rents inflatables and concessions, and Patio, Pool & Fireside are rushing to keep up with demand from customers making the very best out of staying at home.

If it’s kids you’re looking to entertain, just browsing Ultimate Bounce’s website photos is enough to rev up the fun factor. From jousting arenas to shark-shaped slip and slides, their selection goes well beyond bounce castles. (Though there are plenty of those, too.)

Troy Maurath, co-owner and operator of Ultimate Bounce, and his brother and co-owner, Travis, saw a dip in business when 2020 school and community events were canceled. But once the stay-at-home order lifted, they saw a bump in residential rentals.

“There’s been a lot of neighborhoods doing something to get the kids out of the house,” Troy said.

Troy helps each customer choose which of their 49 inflatables would work best. The “adrenaline rush,” a 1,200-square foot obstacle course that includes rock climbs, slides and tunnels, is a hot commodity with teens. Toddlers favor the “bounce fusion.” Adults love it for its single entrance and exit. Wee ones enjoy the slides, popups and tunnels.

“It’s something you don’t do every day,” said Troy. “Something out of the ordinary.”

While the inflatables are big, the customer’s effort is minimal. Troy and Travis make it easy by delivering the inflatables (which are cleaned and sprayed with anti-bacterial spray after each rental), setting them up, then picking them up when the fun is done. All that’s left for parents to do is kick back and watch the fun.