By: Rachel A. Curry
Dreams require dedication and hard work, and for the owners of Krush Time, Josh and McKea Jones, it is all paying off. The husband and wife team have owned Krush Time, formerly Krush Nutrition, for two-and-a-half years. In September 2014 the couple opened the doors of their new location off the square in Jacksonville at 231 E. State Street. The building had formerly housed the Times Theatre. The new owners wanted to keep the location a place where families could go for fun.
“It’s like nothing else you can do anywhere else,” Josh Jones said.
There are a variety of activities for the whole family to enjoy at Krush Time. Children age 4 to 12 can play at the indoor playground, which has everything from a zip line, slides, bounce house, trampolines and climbing features. Anyone 13 and over can test his or her luck at the ‘American Ninja Warrior’ course, which is based off of the hit show on NBC. Krush Time has a place for customers to rock climb. Birthday parties are held there, as well. “Rock climbing is good training for the ninja stuff, but it is all a blast,” said Josh Jones.
Currently there are seventeen obstacles the owners have built for the ‘American Ninja Warrior’ course that are exactly like the ones on the show. A new obstacle is added every week and a half. In the future, competitions could be held at the course. Josh Jones said an individual has to be able to complete five to six obstacles in order to qualify.
The next closest ‘American Ninja Warrior’ course that the public can use is in Chicago. People from Quincy, Decatur, Sullivan and Springfield have all come to Krush Time to test their physical strength. “It’s cool seeing people leave Springfield and other big places to come to Jacksonville,” Josh Jones said.
When visiting Krush Time, customers will see mementos from Times Theatre, which used to be located there. The nostalgia of the building is something the owners wanted to keep. A tour can be taken through a projector room, there are posters of movies that were shown there and even an old popcorn machine. “We try to keep the theatre feel,” McKea Jones said.
In 2014, the couple were awarded for their efforts of taking something old and finding a new way to use it, when they received Jacksonville Main Street’s White Elephant Award. Then their efforts were rewarded again, this time statewide, by receiving the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Economic Restructuring this year.
Nutritional items will continue to be sold at Krush Time. Day passes are available for ten dollars. Three climbs for rock climbing costs five dollars. There are many membership options. Please call Krush Time at 217-243-3344 for more info during the hours of 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
CUTLINE: Josh and McKea Jones, owners of Krush Time, have taken what once was the Times Theatre, and turned it into a family oriented place with physical activities available for a wide age group. Their dog, Rocky, seen in the poster by them, is the Krush dog mascot.
