After six years as an occasional babysitter and 2 years as a certified professional nanny, Jennifer Heim, and her husband John became convinced they could create a better source of child care, right in their own southloop community. They set out to visit daycare centers all around the midwest to find out what to do. It turns out, they found out what “not-to-do.” During there research, they saw lots of “crowd control” and “feed ‘em, keep ‘em happy” places. They would occasionally find a place that appeared clean, organized and well-staffed but lacked that warm, nurturing quality that every newborn needs. Or another facility would appear nurturing and friendly, but fall short of providing the clean environment and cognitive stimulation that they also felt was important. Outrageous prices for care were also quite an obstacle to qulaity care.

With no children of their own yet, the two took matters into their own hands and together they gave life to a brand new kind of daycare. 1992, the twosome created Detour 2 Discovery Day School in their own three-bedroom apartment at 2001 South Wabash Avenue. They became the VERY FIRST licensed home daycare center in the Loop! Shortly after opening, Detour 2 Discovery filled up quickly, expanding in the summer of 1993 to the 16th floor-giant penthouse apartment at Burnham Park Apartments, which was once the old YMCA apartments of Chicago. The growth - and waiting - list continued. In 1995 - with a little help from Annie Properties, a wonderful loft developer who took a leap of faith on the couple and their growing little school - Detour 2 Discovery expanded to it’s very first commercial location. A lofty first floor space at 1020 South Wabash where they were given complete creative freedom to design what would become the blueprint for so many other copycat loft-like child care centers in the Chicagoland area. In August 1995, the brand new center opened at full capacity of 72 children and 16 teachers on it’s very first day! Over the next several years, Detour 2 Discovery grew in leaps & bounds expanding once more in 2001 to it’s current sunny lofty location at 2001 South Wabash Avenue.

Today, Detour 2 Discovery has 153 students enrolled with nearly 35 on staff. The wonderful directors who carry out the day to day operations of the school are Mrs. JoAn Willis and Mrs. Celestine Stephens. JoAn began her career at D2D in 1995, and was one of the very first teachers on staff! Celestine joined the team in 2000 during preparation for the expansion. The director team, both moms, hold early childhood degrees along with national and local directorial accreditation & certification. The pair have more than 50 years of child care experience between them! Having a co-directorship is not common, as the local and national standards call for only one director; so you can be assured that with this directorial duet there is plenty of positive staff mentoring along with constant communication, participation, attention, observation and celebration!

Year after year, Detour 2 Discovery continues to grow, providing many families in the Southloop community with reliable, affordable, top-notch professional child care!