MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - "The Mini Maker," a new business out of Meridian Township, recently launched its kickstarter campaign and showcased its promise for a successful future.

A spin on an old 'maker space,' the company holds classes and camps for kids to come together and be creative with tools and building materials. At the launch, children and adults enjoyed using a 3D printer, building materials that could be combined for new uses, and deconstructing tools to see how they work on the inside.

"The classic idea of a maker space is for people to come into a common space and use each other's equipment," said Chris Allen, co-founder of Mini Maker. "We're taking that and making it a kid-friendly version. So we provide the space, we provide the equipment, and we clean up the mess."

The Allen family's humble beginnings came out of the "Kids N' Dogs" store inside Meridian Mall. With a successful crowd-funding campaign, the Allen's are able to rent out the the entire store for their new idea.

"Since a maker space, including one for kids, is so new, we're just trying to get the word out," said Allen.

Their official grand opening will be at the end of September.