7 Things to Know About The Grove

It’s a familiar struggle for working parents with young children: How do you balance career and family and find your proverbial village? Wouldn’t it be great if a place could prioritize parents’ physical, mental, and emotional health under one roof? Stephanie Muhs felt each of those pain points when her family moved from Brooklyn to Charlotte five years ago. 

Coworking spaces with on-site child care are emerging in cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. Muhs had seen this model work for affluent working parents in Brooklyn and Manhattan and wanted to bring something like it to Charlotte—something that combined work and child care with perks like fitness classes and evening mixers. 

In early 2024, the mother of three opened The Grove in Myers Park. “It’s a testament to Charlotte,” she says. “They’re feeling a lot of pain points, too.” Here are 7 more things to know about this local membership club for families.

It’s easy to miss. Stephanie Muhs opened The Grove in January 2024 without any press or advertising. It’s nestled in the retail complex at the intersection of Providence and Queens roads in Myers Park. Its signage is on the end unit beside Colonial Barber Shop, but the entrance is tucked behind a gate and down a flight of stairs (or stroller ramp). Inside is a 5,000-square-foot membership club for young families.

It’s tough to describe in one tidy soundbite. Imagine a coworking space with on-site child care, a café, and concierge parenting services. In addition to kids programming, it has adult workout classes, parenting seminars, wine nights, and pop-up shopping events. Members have access to occupational therapists, tutors, sleep specialists, and parenting experts. 

It’s run like a country club. The Grove is cashless, and everything is charged to a member’s account—but there’s no dress code, and kids are seen and heard. It has about 160 members who pay entrance fees that range from $2,750 to $3,950 per family, plus monthly dues of $250 to $300. Muhs adds about eight to 10 new families each month, and nannies, grandparents, and caregivers are included in memberships, too.

It’s designed for both kids and adults. Muhs hired an audiovisual company to make The Grove compatible for remote workers’ needs and install cameras so kids are always in view. They added a room for nursing, a conference room for local practitioners like speech therapists and lactation specialists, and circular windows in the café booths so parents or caregivers have a view of their kids in the indoor treehouse. 

It adheres to a “no social footprint” policy. Members can take photos, but there’s no posting or tagging—so all of its advertising has been word of mouth. 

It’s hyper-local. Muhs has developed The Grove app for members and works with more than 40 local partners on programming and events. Grove Café serves Enderly Coffee, pastries from Honeybear Bake Shop, and sandwiches on Verdant sourdough bread. The merch area has baby clothing from James + Joy, and the grab-and-go section has lemon swirls from The Whole Hope. Speakers have included therapist and Charlotte Parent contributor Mollie Gee, and kids programming has featured Bold Music and GymSport.

It’s a lifeline for busy parents. Last fall, The Grove offered flu shots. Once a year, they have someone onsite to clean members’ car seats. They think of everything—and lighten the mental load so you can prioritize family.

The Grove is located at 1043 Providence Road in Myers Park.