The Blurbb Spot app Claimed

Dara Weislo, www.TheBlurbbSpot.com
The Blurbb Spot app is a location-based, accessibility app. It is based upon user input to identify locations that suit specific needs, such a wheel-chair accessible, sensory-friendly places, visual impairment friendly, deaf friendly, kid friendly, etc. It is based upon positive reviews in an effort to praise inclusive, accessible locations.

Interview:

I’m Elizabeth Gearhart here with Dara Weislo of The Blurbb Spot. Have you ever wondered if there’s a clean bathroom open down at the shore or maybe there’s a really kid friendly restaurant that you can take your little group of angels to? There’s a way to find out now from other parents. It’s called The Blurbb Spot. So, hi Dara.

Hello, how are you? Thank you so much for having me. The Blurbb Spot app is a location-based accessibility app where users input about locations or establishments that are sensory friendly, wheelchair accessible, deaf friendly, visually impaired friendly, or kid friendly can be blurbbed about or cataloged to enable other users to know the best places for them.

So who is using your app right now?

All different individuals, to individuals with disabilities, individuals with children, families.

So it’s widespread. And one thing that’s very powerful about your app is that the entries are all made by parents or people that are not owners of the establishments. So they’re rating these establishments based on accessibility for different types of needs.

That’s correct. It’s user driven, user input. And so it’s authentic.

It’s authentic. That’s a great word. And the other part of it is that you are really encouraging positivity. So ‘go to this place.’

Yes. As opposed to a negative review. We’re trying to promote or praise the places that do have accessible options or have thought about different accommodations to provide their guests so that it’s more of a praise instead of something negative. It’s positive.

So what are the main things that people are blurbbing about on The Blurbb Spot right now that are of concern?

It’s really wonderful when you see a place that has thought about sensory friendly locations such as a quiet room, or even having sensory friendly movie times, including there’s airports that have a sensory friendly area or amusement parks. So that is important for a child or someone who just needs some quiet time. I see this doing two things. One, it’s a community of parents helping each other, which is just beautiful. And they’re telling each other the safe places to take their kids or whomever. I think you had said even your elderly parents may need special accommodations. So it’s telling people the safe places to take other people. It’s also encouraging businesses to be more sensitive to society’s needs. And it’s also actually driving customers to those businesses that are more sensitive.

Yes, that’s correct. There’s over 1.3 billion individuals with disabilities in the world. And so when you open up your business and you have these thoughtful combinations or features, you’re going to bring in that much more business and guests. And so it’s a win-win because people want to feel welcomed and thought about and it’s just going to increase your bottom line.

So what does The Blurbb Spot look like, it’s an app on your phone. It’s on Apple and the other one, right?

Yep. It’s in the Apple app store and onGoogle play. You open it up and you can say something about a place or you can look for a place near you, say that has a quiet room, right?

That’s correct, it’s user input. So we’re still trying to build up the app and the data in the app. And so you can click a pencil icon at the top and your area will come up, and what establishments are around you. There’s different categories. There’s dinner, there’s breakfast, there’s places, there’s travel. You can find places that have accessible trails if somebody inputs that. That’s local, and you can blurbb about it. You can take a photo or a 15 second video, or you can check off the different features that you’ve experienced that you’ve enjoyed that were at that establishment.

And then if I’m using the app as somebody looking for a place, how do I do that?

So if you’re looking for those, there is a filter feature on the app. And also you can click the icon to identify where you are and what establishments might be in your area, what you’re looking for, and see. You can even use hashtags to see if there’s ‘sensory friendly’ or ‘autism’ to try to locate places that will fit your needs.

Well, that’s very powerful. And I see that growing more and more each day and building a real community of people who just want to help each other. And especially in these times. And you are right now working on trying to adapt it to have a Covid information section, is that correct?

We would like to make that update and to add that to that, it would provide additional help for during this trying time.

Right. So people would know what’s open during Covid, maybe what precautions you need, a break, et cetera. So this is a very powerful app. The Blurbb Spot with 3 B’s, one at the beginning and two at the end. And this is Dara Weislo, the creator of the app.