WACO, Texas — What started out as a search to give her daughter a princess-themed birthday party ended up with a brand new place for girls in Waco that dares them to dream and use their imagination.
"I decided to open up a business just for girls with tea parties and princess birthday parties," Shakeyeria Barnett said, the owner of Only Believe Parties and Play Center.
Barnett opened her business in Waco in August of 2020.
"My daughter absolutely loves dress up and it was something that I was looking for her birthday party one year and I thought Waco doesn't have anything like this," Shakeyeria Barnett said.
Families can book their own party for girls ages 3 through 9 or sign up for one of their monthly events. They recently had Brunch with Mom and for Father's Day, they'll host Donuts with Dad.
"Our main service is princess birthday parties. So girls get a chance to come in, dress up as a princess and do karaoke, they get make up, they have an awesome time and they do crafts. The other service is tea parties and so doing the tea parties, I get a chance to teach tea party etiquette," Barnett said.
Barnett said she wants it to be a safe space for young girls to be themselves.
"I just think that with the world where everyone is just rushing people to grow up, especially children, it's just nice to be able to savor those moments with girls," Barnett said.
One of her main goals is to teach young girls about self-love and acceptance and that it's good to dream and have a fairytale imagination.
"It makes girls not only feel beautiful on the outside but also inside, getting a chance to know, like I am a princess for the day. Their friends that get a chance to attend feel just as beautiful. So I think that's what I've been able to provide for a lot of young girls," Barnett said.
Only Believe Parties and Play Center website: https://onlybelieveparties.com/