Strollers of all kinds line the perimeter outside Firehook Bakery on S. Union Street in Old Town. Curiosity may have people wondering what the hullabaloo is all about. At the back of the coffeehouse, a special guest is entertaining the under 5 crowd and his name is Mr. Skip.
Dressed in his trademark Hawaiian shirt and acoustic guitar in tow, Mr. Skip is a music and movement singer known by moms and kids alike.
Assessing the crowd, my four year old and I purchased a daisy sugar cookie and slice of orange yogurt coffee cake and headed toward the back room. We arrived 10 minutes before show time and ended up sitting on the floor. People were packed like a can of sardines, standing and sitting everywhere.
The small, cozy space is adorned with Tiffany lamps and local artwork available for purchase. There are a handful of tables, two comfy chairs, a couch, two ottomans for lounging and three highchairs. Due to the small area, strollers are not allowed inside the bakery. There are two unisex bathrooms, but they do not have changing tables.
On a table to the left as you enter the back room, there is a small blue bucket to put your money in. The cost is $5 per child; babies three months or younger are free. Itโs based on good faith, but I didnโt see many families contributing to the show.
Mr. Skip opened the show with โHello, Hello.โ Right away, you could tell many children were regulars to his concerts because they knew the words to most of the songs. The second song was everyoneโs favorite โOld MacDonald,โ followed by a song all about clothing colors.
Mr. Skip asked the children to move their arms in circles to prepare them for Chubby Checkerโs โThe Twist.โ Onto the King, Elvis Presley, and โHound Dog.โ Halfway through, he slowed the song down while mommies clapped. It was so cute seeing the youngsters swaying with their hands on their hips.
After some songs Mr. Skip would say โcha cha cha.โ When he didnโt say it, the kids would chime in. One little boy brought his toy guitar to jam with Mr. Skip.
Mr. Skip gave a brief background of renowned childrenโs singer, Raffi. Hearing โBaby Belugaโ brought back many childhood memories. The room became quiet with moms began rocking their babes to sleep. Keeping things slow and mellow, were one verse of the nursery rhyme โTwinkle Twinkle Little Starโ and โBaa, Baa Black Sheep.โ
It was the first time he played Lisa Loebโs โJenny Jenkinsโ which I have heard on Nick Jr., but the kids didnโt dig it. He switched gears with โShake the Sillies Out,โ followed by clap, stretch, stomp, wiggle and sleepโฆthe sillies out. He told the kids to take a nap, but donโt snore. When Mr. Skip started to snore, the kids erupted in laughter.
Moms were saying โI remember this songโ when they heard The Beatles tune โYellow Submarine.โ Mr. Skip added a nice touch by using his guitar as a drum. When he performed โI Told the Witch Doctor,โ the kids roared the chorus โooo eee ooh ah ah ting tang, walla, walla, bing, bang!โ
Mr. Skip asked the audience, โare you ready to sing the alphabet song?โ He purposely sang it wrong so the kids would squeal โno!โ Another crowd pleaser was the tune, โThereโs a Hole in the Middle of the Sea,โ followed by โTake Me Out to the Ball Gameโ and โThe Wheels on the Bus.
โ He closed the performance with โYou Are My Sunshineโ and gave all the kids a sticker. The kids were enamored with Mr. Skip. He was very good at keeping childrenโs short attention spans by mixing music and movement. The only negative was that a few moms were talking loudly over the music which I felt was a bit rude.
Firehook Bakery offers fresh baked bread, healthy salads, sandwiches, pastries, gourmet coffee and non-carbonated beverages. You are not required to buy anything Firehook, but many patrons did support the business by making a purchase.
Parking in Old Town is difficult. There is two hour pay parking along Union Street and machines accept cash and credit cards. Opposite Firehook Bakery is a pay garage, along with nearby garages along Union Street. Prices vary with most averaging $8. Another option is to take metro. Get off at the King Street station and board the free trolley which will take you to the waterfront.
Mr. Skip performs every Tuesday from 11 to 11:45am at Firehook Bakeryโs Union Street location. Parents and kids alike will enjoy spending a morning of laughter and song. Firehook is located at the base of King Street, which is close to the waterfront, shops and a nearby playground.
There is no information about events on Firehookโs website. To book Mr. Skip for an event, contact him at 302.377.4555 or visit him at www.mrskip.com.