Renowned Family Entertainment Industry Leader and Entrepreneur, Shalini Bajaj Vij, Shares Insights

Founder of Neon by Hangout, 1776 Pizzeria and Hangout Kids located at Select City Walk, Delhi and Avon City Mall, Ludhiana

New Delhi (India), April 18: SHALINI BAJAJ VIJ, A Renowned name in the Family Entertainment Industry shares her thought in an interaction with the media, Shalini is also the founder of Neon by Hangout, 1776 Pizzeria and Hangout Kids located at Select City Walk, Delhi and Avon City Mall, Ludhiana 

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Hang Out, is a family entertainment Center, as the name states it is a Family Hang Out, it’s not just about Kids entertainment, Hang Out promotes family interaction & understanding the sibling age preferences of entertainment & family needs as a whole, we cater to ages 2 to you too. We currently have locations in Select Citywalk, Saket and Avon City Mall Ludhiana. Hang Out is not just another gaming zone or toddler area, we are a comprehensive family entertainment center for complete family fun. Neon By Hang Out as is a Post-Covid evolution, a Neon themed Family Hang Out. Conceptualised, designed and themed by Directors Shalini Bajaj Vij & Sahil Vij

What do you think your firm’s mission and vision are?

Our Mission is one & only one “To make Playtime more fun” as Shalini believes “Play is a fundamental building block of who we are as an adult. Physically, psychologically, emotionally and cognitively, childhood play shapes the person we all become. “We encourage family interactions and bonding & in doing so it’s important that we understand the parental psych, the family needs and the child’s attention spans. Family’s need of the hour to entertain & bond with their kids is what Hang Out aims at. It’s important that the wave length of the entertainment centre & the needs of their guests with families match up.

Tell us about the key services/products which adds value to the target clientele?

Aiming to cater to all age categories are not just another run of the mill gaming zone or play area on the contrary we have certain zones and anchors that unleash the child in everyone The New Neon By Hang Out launched Virtual Reality as close to Reality as it gets. The pride of place is the Hurricane 360, the newest technology in VR and the First one in India. Hang Out’s Newset ride is a 3-seat model, 6-Axis Motion Ride with a 360-degree rotation capability, which makes it a 7DOF (dimension of freedom in VR terminology). The ride uses specially designed Shoulder Harness Coaster Seats, 6DOF with 360 rotation, Special Effects including Water, Rain, Airblast, Fog and Snow devices, Dome or Flat Screen options, 2.1 Sound System Quality, VR or 3D Ride Licensed movies like Arabian Nights, Wasteland, Fly Bike, Dino, Mission Mars & Island Coaster to choose from. 

Other New Elements & Anchors at Hang Out are the-

Neon themed, glow in the dark Bowling Lanes

Pool tables & Air Hockey to unleash the child in you 

Gaming Zone with Arcades, ticket and prize winning games catering to all age groups 

Vortex Tunnel giving to a vertigo experience, Vertigo is a sensation of feeling off balance, dizzy, where you feel like you are spinning or that the world around you is spinning. A sensation worth experiencing

My Town an area designed for younger Kids from 2-8 year olds with a fully foamed toddler area touching the fine motor, sensory, cognitive and music skills, 2 level playground, role or pretend play rooms like the grocery store, hospital, bakery and Ice cream parlour & more

Neon themed Cafe with a wide variety of cuisine choices on the menu with an hourly show by our Mascots and His friends

Winners Circle is the ticket redemption counter that everyone is a Winner at Hang Out 

Briefly tell us the about yourself, your industry, and your brand?

Shalini Bajaj Vij – Director & Curator

She has studied Business Administration from Northern Illinois University, Illinois, USA. With experience in Management and Human Resources from many US based Companies like Caldor, Discovery Zone, Things Remembered and Rainbow Shops, Shalini has revolutionized the concept of entertainment in India with Hangout and her entrepreneurial skills and passion.

Shalini has a detailed understanding of the entertainment needs of children of the current decade. She’s Studied Child Psychology which plays a very important role in understanding and child and parental psych and needs & being able to keep Playtime in mind. She has contributed a milestone to the Entertainment Industry with her brain child- Hangout, with a foray of technology driven entertainment experiences. By bringing together technology and contemporary entertainment to children of the Delhi and NCR and now in Ludhiana,

She believed “Playtime is the beginning of Early learning and it can enhance the child’s skills in a fun-filled environment by giving them age appropriate activities and safe surroundings. “

Moving back from the U.S made Shalini realize the need for a complete entertainment centre for families where children could enjoy and so could their parents. Her children inspired her to put together the concept of Hangout, which aims to be a one stop shop for complete amusement.

Hang Out is a familiar & leading name since 2009,in the Family Entertainment Industry and believes in evolving in concept & upgrading with technology has just launched Neon by Hang Out 

Shalini has always believed in giving back to the society and lesser privileged children from various strata’s by giving them an opportunity to be part of Hang Out on various occasions. Hang Out in the past have entertained Kids from lot of NGO’s and special children from  schools including Prayas, DPS Mathura Road’s Ibtiba Shiksha Kendra, Lakshyam amongst others 

• Differentiating Factors

A one stop Shop in Entertainment, Making Playtime fun for everyone. understand the parental psych,the family needs and promote family bonding over playtime and meal times 

• How would you define success for the firm? 

So, Hang Out was conceptualised in 2009 and has over a decade become a brand synonymous with Childrens entertainment and gained a fan following and patronage. Nothing means more to us than to be able to bring smiles on those innocent faces and true success is seeing families bonding and that’s what we aim to achieve at Hang Out 

What are the recognitions it has earned over the years?

Hang Out are members of IAAPA (international Assosciation of Amusement Parks & Attractions & IAAPI (Indian association of Amusement parks & Industries) and has won the best FEC Award North Region in 2012 & 2013 & 2014 consecutively. 

Have been nominated at the IRF (Indian Retail Forum) and on the speaker Panel at a session in regards to Entertainment. 

Hang Out won the Times hospitality Iconic Awards-Hang Out-Iconic venue for food & Entertainment 2019

• In your entrepreneurial journey, how did you overcome the challenges?

Challenges & competition bring out your optimum potential, it helps you to thrive for Perfection & Aiming for Perfection & higher than what is achievable surely leads to attaining Excellence. “Challenges is what I call Business are only overcome with one mantra & that is my Faith in God, hard work, discipline & patience”

• What led to the coining of the idea to join the industry?

My Children-After living in the US for 14years I found no places to spend quality & family time with my children. They missed the play areas, well maintained playgrounds, entertainment centres & gaming zones. In the western world, we are dependent on nannies for raising their children; parents take their children out & spend family time with them. My children were in their tender years & missed the discovery zones, disney & indoor soft playgrounds, outdoor playgrounds & sports complexes.

As a parent I understood how important playtime is for their early year development. 

The dearth of family entertainment centres in

India made me diversify from my existing business & educate myself in the Entertainment Industry from the US. Hang Out was my gift to all children of India ensuring a global smile on those innocent faces

• Revenue Model

The initial investment is huge but again we at Hang Out, won’t compromise on quality, customer satisfaction, child’s safety and services and are ok to work on a narrower margin of profit 

• Offices

Head office-Mayapuri, New Delhi 

Neon by Hang Out-4th floor, Select Citywalk, Saket, New Delhi 

Hang Out kids-4th floor, Avon City Mall, ludhiana 

• Founded 

Shalini Bajaj Vij

• Key Executive (Founder/CEO etc.) and a brief background on the person

Founder & Curator Shalini Bajaj Vij conceptualised Hang Out in 2009 and her son Sahil Vij has now joined hands and has conceptualised  Neon by Hang Out which is a post-Covid inspired concept, as lockdown kept families home and he wanted to expand & cater to young adults, teens & tweens. Neon themed family Hang Out caters to All age groups 

Sahil Vij believes in evolution & unleashing the child in everyone, promoting the revamped, re-launch of Hang Out with The Neon theme & new elements says Neon by Hang Out is  “Evolving Technology & trending in Time with Entertainment in Mind”

• Clientele (total number and a name of few if possible)

We average 25-30 birthday parties in a month at each location catering too many of the elite customers & have an average weekend footfall of upto 400 guests a day.

We’ve spotted Mandira Bedi with her daughter, Munish Behl, Mr LK Advani and son Jayant Advani have hosted their daughter’s birthday. We’ve hosted Mr. Pranav Mukherjees grand child’s birthday, recently we’ve spotted Saif Ali’s son Abraham and had Neha Bhasin shot her video Oot Pattangi at Neon By Hang Out and we have many such clientele including designers Shantanu, Nikhil, JJ Vallaya amongst other but the ones very close to our heart have been Children fighting terminal diseases like cancer and AIDS through Make a wish foundation, special themed based parties for children from Singapore with Special Educational Needs through Step by Step School exchange program . Also weve organized “Gift A Smile to a child” in association with Lakshyam & collected gifts for them this Christmas. The initiative gave our privileged visitors a chance to be the Santa to the not so privileged children of Lakshyam and we continue to welcome and serve such initiatives 

Shalini has also initiated various events over last 13 years at Hang Out for  underprivileged kids for various NGOs across Delhi on special festivals and 

• Employee count

20-30 per location 

• Investors

Company owned 

M.F. Entertainment & Amusement Pvt Ltd 

• How does your firm differ from the biggest competitors?

Our Personalised service, Customer Service especially for our “Little people”, giving them one on one attention they need, making them feel at home & giving the parents the safety & security they need to let their kids play,learn & have fun. 

• Major Milestones for the company since founding

It’s been over a decade in operations and we’ve been able to accomplish along with smiles, guest satisfaction & increasing levels of family interactions and we know this as we closely monitor our reviews, feedback’s and customer suggestions. We are a family oriented business catering to families with children.

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