A week after officially opening its doors a new daycare facility was welcomed to the Stuart Chamber of Commerce Monday.

Exploration & Learning Station Owner Alicia Geil cut the ceremonial ribbon alongside a couple of her employees, Chamber members, and other community members outside her business located at 116 North Division Street. A brick-and-mortar daycare facility has long been desired by Stuart residents as well as the Stuart Enterprise for Economic Development, who assisted Geil in the purchase of the property as well as some financial planning. SEED member Warren Varley shares why the organization cared about bringing a daycare facility to Stuart, “SEED is concerned with the economy of the region, and we consider having adequate daycare facilities as essential as having adequate internet. So it’s something that we’ve been trying to encourage for decades now and we’re real excited to have a commercial daycare downtown. I think it adds a lot to the community and really helps the local economy.”

The facility is licensed to hold up to 30 kids from six weeks to five years old, and there are currently open spots in the three to four year old age group. You can find more information on the business here.