From One Bounce House to a City of Joy
Jump City was never built from a boardroom—it was built from a teenager’s dream, a father’s legacy, and countless late nights spent transforming an old truck repair shop into a place where childhood magic happens every day.
It all started when founder Shawn Thompson Jr. was just 14. Instead of buying the racing bike he’d been saving for, he asked his dad if he could invest in something a little different—a bounce house. That one decision reignited a family tradition. Years earlier, Shawn’s parents had rented bounce houses in their local community. After the loss of his mother, reviving the business became more than an entrepreneurial spark—it became a way to carry her memory forward and build something meaningful.
By the time he was 17, Shawn and his dad were opening the first indoor Jump City location in Otsego, MN—pouring everything they had into transforming a 6,000 sq. ft. space into a one-of-a-kind inflatable play park. The goal wasn’t just to entertain—it was to bring families together, offer parents peace of mind, and remind kids what real joy looks like.
Since then, Jump City has grown into one of Minneapolis’s most trusted party rental companies. What started with one bounce house has expanded to a full catalog of inflatables, water slides, obstacle courses, mechanical bulls, rock climbing walls, tents, tables, chairs, and more. But the heart of the company hasn’t changed—we’re still here to deliver clean, safe, unforgettable fun that kids and parents will remember for years.