Staff photos by Stephanie Bruce Hannah Thomas, 8, runs through an obstacle on an inflatable gym Friday afternoon near Erwin.

By Kate Cantrell
Staff writer

For Marcus Thompson, running Extreme Inflatables Inc. is a lot like sliding down a 28-foot inflatable slide.

“You start out on the ground,” he said as he walked onto the steps.

“Then you go through some bumps,” he said, grabbing hold of a yellow handle.

“Business increases,” he said near the middle. “I can see my goal.

“This is the peak,” he cried from the top. “The premier inflatable company in North Carolina!”

Then he sat, tucked his knees up by his chest and flew down the slide, smiling the whole way.

It took Thompson a while to decide to open Extreme Inflatables, his year-old inflatable amusement company.

He and his wife, Kelly, both worked in jobs they considered stressful and wanted to find a business that was more enjoyable. Someone recommended that they look into providing rental moonwalks and other inflatables. The Thompsons weren’t convinced.

They checked into the industry, thought about it, but then decided they didn’t want to go for that ride.

Later, they took their young son, now 5, to a church festival. While there, he played in a bouncy house.

“He went absolutely nuts,” Thompson said. “My wife and I said ‘We need to revisit this.’”

Over two years, Thompson collected nine large inflatables to rent. First came a 60-foot obstacle course, a dinosaur moonwalk and a jousting ring. Then came a boxing ring, two slides and others. He invested $85,000 in the inflatables.

Thompson began offering the rentals, for church, school and corporate events. In the year since he began operating, thousands of children have played on the inflatables at events such as Hope Mill’s Ole Mill Days and Gospel Tabernacle Church’s Easter Extravaganza in Dunn.

With a minimum order of $700 per event, Thompson said he is priced out of the birthday market and caters primarily to large organizations. That suits him fine, he said. As a Christian business-owner, he is happiest to provide entertainment for church functions.

“There’s a chance I can draw someone to that church that may never have gone there. It’s a ministry as far as I’m concerned,” he said.

Thompson said he is happy with the success his new company has had so far, but he has also set big goals for the future.

“I can’t take credit at all for any success we’ve had last year. God has just blessed us tremendously,” he said. “My long-term goal is to be the premier inflatable amusement provider in North Carolina. When you say Extreme Inflatables, I want that to be the pinnacle.”

As for kids, it seems some already think the company is the best thing since, well, ever.

“Mama, this is fun,” one little girl called out from the 900-square-foot Jurassic Adventure Playland last week. All around her, other children were smiling and squealing, climbing up the inflatable rock wall and tottering on an inflatable dinosaur.

“For every kid that is not allowed to jump on the bed at home, this is fun,” Thompson said. 

Marcus Thompson owns Extreme Inflatables Inc. with his wife.

Staff writer Kate Cantrell can be reached at cantrellk@fayettevillenc.com or 323-4848, ext. 331.