Awards & Recognition
Real Recognition
Awards & Industry Recognition
Fastest Growing Emerging Franchise 2026
1851 Franchise Magazine
Slime Kitchen was named to 1851 Franchise's list of the fastest-growing emerging franchises of 2026, recognized for redefining experiential retail for kids and families.
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Five Things I Wish I Knew Before Opening a Franchise
Authority Magazine
Founder Kathy Ando shares hard-won lessons from scaling Slime Kitchen from a pandemic idea to a national franchise with 19 open locations.
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5 Best Slime Shops in the US
Let's Talk Mommy
Slime Kitchen ranked among the 5 best slime shops in the US, praised for sophisticated scent profiles, multi-texture layering, and adult-marketed appeal.
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Real Press Features
It's Slime Time: Kathy Ando Wants to Expand Slime Kitchen to Every Mall in America
A deep dive into how founder Kathy Ando is taking Slime Kitchen from a Bay Area concept to a national mall staple, with ambitions to open in every mall across the US.
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Slime Kitchen Debuts at Stonestown Galleria
Axios San Francisco covers the grand opening of Slime Kitchen's new interactive space at Stonestown Galleria, where visitors pick bases, scents, colors and textures to create custom slime.
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The Brand New Slime Kitchen Cooks Up Gooey Memories at Mall St. Matthews
Louisville's first Slime Kitchen opens at Mall St. Matthews, marking the brand's first Kentucky location. A mother-daughter team brought the franchise to the city.
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New Store at Countryside Mall Seeks to Create Smiles with Slime
Slime Kitchen makes its East Coast debut in Clearwater, FL at Countryside Mall, offering a creative outlet for all ages with custom scents, glitter, textures and colorful ingredients.
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Slime Kitchen Opens Second San Diego Area Location, Aims to Expand in SoCal
Lines out the door from day one — Slime Kitchen doubles down on San Diego with a second location at Otay Ranch Town Center in Chula Vista.
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New Retail Concept Coming to the Las Vegas Strip
Slime Kitchen opens a 4,000 sq ft studio inside Fashion Show Las Vegas — the brand's first Strip location, guiding guests through a 10-step custom slime-making experience.
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Ready to Get Slimed? Slime Kitchen Opens in Las Vegas
Las Vegas TV station KLAS spends a morning inside the newly opened Slime Kitchen at Fashion Show Las Vegas, showcasing the hands-on slime experience live on Good Day Las Vegas.
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Meet 4 Kid-Focused Franchises on the Rise
Franchise Times spotlights Slime Kitchen alongside top rising kid-focused franchises, highlighting its unique customization model and founder Kathy Ando's vision for rapid national growth.
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Slime-Making Store Opens in Corte Madera
Slime Kitchen opens its 10th location nationwide and 5th in the Bay Area at the Village at Corte Madera — marking the brand's first North Bay presence.
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Slime Kitchen Continues Rapid Expansion with New Opening in Iowa
Slime Kitchen announces the grand opening of its newest franchise at Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville, Iowa — the brand's first Midwest location, owned by local family Maurice and Shelbie Williams, inspired by their daughters' love of slime.
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Slime Kitchen Oozes into Coral Ridge Mall
Visitors to Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville are invited to get hands-on with Slime Kitchen's debut Iowa location — the brand's first in the Midwest, celebrating with a ribbon-cutting grand opening event on February 20.
Read Full Article"Kids are obsessed with slime. They light up before they even walk in the door."
Maurice Williams, Franchisee · Coralville, Iowa · The Gazette, March 2025
Meet the Founder
Kathy Ando
Kathy Ando
CEO & Founder, The Slime Kitchen
Kathy Ando transformed a simple passion for creativity into a rapidly growing franchise brand. Under her leadership, The Slime Kitchen has become a destination for families seeking unique, hands-on experiences, expanding from a single concept into a multi-location business serving thousands of guests each year. Her mission remains the same: to create joyful, memorable experiences that encourage imagination, creativity, and connection.
As of October 2026
19 Locations Across 7 States
Here's the full verified breakdown from the official Slime Kitchen website.
Chino Hills (Coming Soon) · Corte Madera (The Village at CM) · Chula Vista (Otay Ranch Town Center) · Pleasanton (Stoneridge) · San Diego (Mission Valley) · San Francisco (Stonestown Galleria) · San Jose (Oakridge) · San Mateo (Hillsdale) · South Lake Tahoe (The Crossing at Tahoe Valley) · Thousand Oaks (The Oaks) · Oxnard (The Collection at RiverPark) · Truckee (Westgate at Donner Pass)
Coralville (Coral Ridge Mall) · Des Moines (Merle Hay Mall)
Las Vegas (Fashion Show Mall) · Reno ( Reno Public Market)
Portland (Streets of Tanasbourne)
Clearwater (Countryside Mall)
Louisville (Mall St. Matthews)
Myrtle Beach (Broadway at the Beach)
The Real Story
Timeline of Growth
First South Carolina Location Opens
Slime Kitchen grand opens at Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach — the brand's first South Carolina location, drawing coverage from local TV, print, and national outlets.
Oxnard Opens · SF Business Times Feature
Slime Kitchen opens at The Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard, CA. San Francisco Business Times features founder Kathy Ando and her ambition to bring Slime Kitchen to every mall in America.
Named Fastest Growing Emerging Franchise
1851 Franchise Magazine names Slime Kitchen to its Fastest Growing Emerging Franchises of 2026 list, recognizing the brand for redefining experiential retail for kids and families.
San Francisco Stonestown Grand Opening
Slime Kitchen debuts at Stonestown Galleria in San Francisco, covered by Axios SF. The store marks the brand's 10th California location.
Kentucky & Second San Diego Location Open
Slime Kitchen opens its first Kentucky location at Mall St. Matthews in Louisville, and expands San Diego with a second store at Otay Ranch Town Center in Chula Vista.
East Coast Debut in Clearwater, Florida
Slime Kitchen makes its first East Coast appearance at Countryside Mall in Clearwater, Florida — the brand's 14th location and a major milestone in its national expansion.
Las Vegas Strip Arrives
Slime Kitchen opens a 4,000 sq ft studio inside Fashion Show Las Vegas — the brand's first location on the Las Vegas Strip, guided by a 10-step slime-making experience.
San Diego Debut — Lines Out the Door
Slime Kitchen opens at Mission Valley Mall in San Diego. Founder Kathy Ando reports lines out the door from day one, calling the response incredible.
10th Location Opens in Corte Madera
Slime Kitchen opens its 10th nationwide location at the Village at Corte Madera, marking the brand's first North Bay presence and 5th Bay Area store.
First Midwest Location Opens in Iowa
Slime Kitchen opens its 9th location at Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville, Iowa — the brand's first store in the Midwest, operated by local family Maurice and Shelbie Williams.
First Store Opens
Slime Kitchen opens its first brick-and-mortar location in the Bay Area, offering a guided 10-step DIY slime-making experience. The brand begins franchising shortly after.
Slime Kitchen Founded
Founder Kathy Ando launches Slime Kitchen during the COVID-19 pandemic, inspired by her 6-year-old daughter's obsession with slime videos on YouTube. The concept is born in the San Francisco Bay Area.