Haven Shuts Down Twice Yearly So Staff Can Rest — And Parents, Investors, Take Notice

Haven, a chain of family-focused clubs that combine child care, co-working and fitness, closes its doors for two paid weeks each year so staff can fully disconnect, founder Britt Riley said. The companywide breaks — one placed in summer and another at the end of the calendar year — are mandatory for the roughly 60-person workforce, and Riley insists the pauses have become central to recruiting, retention and service quality as the company expands.

The closures are scheduled well in advance and are included in membership materials so families can plan alternatives. Parents who rely on the centers are told months ahead of time and, Riley says, generally accept the arrangement once they understand the reasoning. Not everyone was initially convinced; operators in the child-care field often keep sites open year-round, and some questioned how closing could be sustainable. Still, the company reports little backlash from its clientele and says members typically rally to support staff needing uninterrupted recovery time.

Executives at Haven argue the forced downtime pays dividends: staff turnover has fallen, candidate pools for educator roles have widened, and day-to-day energy among employees has improved. An internal survey this year found that every employee described Haven as a great place to work. The company ties the two short shutdowns to slower seasonal demand, communicates the dates over a year in advance and uses the predictability to minimize disruption for families.

Haven began after Riley, then a new parent, sketched a single-site concept that combined licensed, play-based classrooms with adjacent workspaces and wellness offerings. The first club opened in Middletown, Rhode Island; the brand now operates locations in Rhode Island and New Jersey. The business has attracted about $20 million in outside capital and recently opened a franchising program to let local operators replicate the model.

Financially, the company reports revenue gains each year since launch in 2019 and says established clubs run at healthy margins. Lead volume for franchise interest has jumped fourfold since January, Riley said, and the company projects more than 100 clubs by 2030 — a footprint that would create thousands of positions for teachers, managers and franchise owners. Women have driven most of the expansion interest, accounting for roughly six in seven franchise leads.

Industry analysts praise the idea as a practical tool against burnout but caution it’s not a cure-all. A child-care policy consultant I spoke with said mandatory, paid shutdowns can strengthen teams and reduce churn, yet they must be paired with clear communication and community supports so families — particularly dual-income households — don’t bear an unreasonable burden. Riley’s advice to fellow founders: bake core values into operations, stay open to learning, and surround yourself with people who know more than you do. She adds that persistence matters when you’re trying to change how an essential service treats its workforce.