KidStrong franchise owners Samantha and Jeffrey Gossett have signed a lease with Continental Realty Corporation for 3,522 square feet of space at Padonia Village Shopping Center and plan to open the first Baltimore County-area location for the science-based childhood program this fall. Approximately 15 employees are expected to work at the 115,000 square foot neighborhood shopping center positioned at 61 E. Padonia Road in Timonium. Dominique Threatt of CRC represented the landlord and Linda Nguyen and Zach Smith of Morrow Hill represented the tenant in this lease transaction.
As parents of four- and two-year olds, including one child born during the pandemic, the Gossetts understand the value and importance of providing proper social and emotional tools to foster the healthy development of young people’s minds and bodies. KidStrong utilizes a proven-successful training regime that instills confidence, builds character, and teaches proper socialization skills. The program targets youngsters from 12 to 18 months up to 11 years of age. The Gossetts expect to open three additional sites in the Maryland area.
Samantha and Jeffrey Gossett
“Samantha and I struggled to find appropriate places that could provide the skills we believed our daughter needed to advance physically and emotionally during the pandemic,” Jeffrey Gossett explained. “We realized this was an important missing element in her advancement and made it our mission to find a program that we thought was nurturing and effective. After taking her to a KidStrong location in Columbia, we knew we’d found the solution and realized we also wanted to personally invest in the franchise and grow it locally.”
KidStrong is open seven days per week and offers weekday sessions before, during and after school. Each class consists of approximately 15 youngsters, and a parent or nanny is an active participant in the 45-minute lessons in classes for 3 and under and on the sidelines for 4 and older. Age-specific programming focuses on brain, character, and physical development, with an emphasis on problem-solving and creativity, increasing physical literacy, general athleticism and helping kids become more confident and mentally tough.
Classroom activities cover a wide spectrum, spanning from fundamental skills like shaking hands and public speaking, tailored even for its youngest learners, to more physically demanding tasks such as tire flipping and agility courses. This holistic approach ensures that toddlers gain confidence in tasks like ordering their own food in restaurants, while kindergartners are empowered to confidently raise their hands in the classroom from their very first day of school.
“It is typically the simple things that add up to bigger things and last a lifetime,” said Samantha Gossett, who worked as an elementary school teacher for six years and earned her Masters degree in Early Childhood education. “For instance, we noticed that our daughter was taught in her KidStrong class to look someone in their eyes when talking and to shake hands properly. She earned more confidence in herself, communicated more effectively, and seemed more comfortable in her surroundings. These are traits worth fighting for and we want other parents, and their children, to experience this wonderful transformation as well.”
Samantha, who recently left her position as a personal trainer, will work full-time at KidStrong and Jeffrey expects to join her down the line. In advance of the program’s opening, the couple is actively recruiting coaches with a background in occupational and physical therapy, or those who are motivational and enjoy working with young people.
Padonia Village Shopping Center is anchored by Lidl, Lightbridge Academy and GBMC. Other tenants include Bank of America, Cake by Jason, CuVino restaurant, GMBC, Once Upon a Child, SECU, Taco Bravo, and Uber Bagels. Positioned at the intersection of York and Padonia roads, the center is one-half mile from Interstate 83. Nearly 42,000 vehicles pass the site daily and approximately 60,000 people, in 25,000 households, reside within a three-mile radius of the site, with an average household income exceeding $128,000.
“Samantha and I believe CuVino serves the best pizza in the local area so we were immediately interested in leasing space at Padonia Village,” Jeff Gossett said. “Many of the stores target young families, so we envision people taking one of our classes and then enjoying a meal at one of the center’s restaurants. It is always inviting and clean and the storefronts are beautiful.”
“Adding another high-quality family-oriented business to the Padonia Village tenant mix further differentiates the center and complements the entire tenant roster,” explained Kristina O’Keefe, CRC’s Vice President, Commercial Division. “Over the last year, we have welcomed Lightbridge Daycare and Once Upon a Child. The addition of a kid-focused education and athletic concept aligns seamlessly with these new uses, and contributes to the vibrant atmosphere of the center. Our multi-year re-tenanting strategy, which began with the signing of new grocery and medical anchors Lidl and GBMC, provides compelling and high-value experiences to the greater Baltimore County community.”
Headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland and founded in 1960, Continental Realty Corporation is a full-service commercial real estate and investment company focused on acquiring and operating retail and multifamily properties. The privately held firm owns and manages a diversified portfolio of retail centers consisting of nearly eight million square feet of commercial space and over 9,000 apartment homes across 11 states, with a portfolio value exceeding $3.7 billion. For additional information, visit www.crcrealty.com
