“My happy place as a kid”: Woman’s nostalgic hobby is restoring old Rainforest Cafe furniture

Rainforest Cafe has always been more than a place to grab a bite.

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For anyone who grew up in the ‘90s or early 2000s, it was an experience—the animatronic animals, the indoor thunderstorms, the feeling that you’d stepped into another world for an hour or two.

While the chain isn’t what it used to be—now down to around 16 locations from its peak of roughly 45—its impact is still felt.

For many, the colorful rainforest decor defined their childhood. So when a location closes, it tends to break many hearts. 

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But one woman has figured out a way to keep some of that magic alive.

Woman rescues furniture from the beloved cafe

TikTok user Noelle (@noelle.misadventures) shared a video about what’s been making her happy lately: rescuing and restoring Rainforest Cafe furniture.

“You look happier!” she wrote in the video’s text overlay. “Thanks. I’ve been rescuing Rainforest Cafe furniture.”

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In the clip, she shows off her finds—tables, chairs, wall art, and other whimsical pieces straight out of the iconic restaurant.

In her caption, she explained why the project means so much to her:

“The Rainforest Cafe was my happy place as a kid,” she said. “Even as an adult, I love to go back and enjoy the nostalgia of the 90s. I was devastated when the last restaurant near me closed down and even more upset when I saw the furniture being destroyed.”

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It turns out owning some of that furniture had been a long-standing dream.

@noelle.misadventures The Rainforest Cafe was my happy place as a kid. Even as an adult, I love to go back and enjoy the nostalgia of the 90s. Full video to come! I was devastated when the last restaurant near me closed down and even more upset when I saw the furniture being destroyed. It had been a lifelong dream of mine to own a table. I would joke and beg with the manager every year on my birthday to please sell me one. When the opportunity to rescue the tables and restore them for myself and other fans came up, I couldn’t pass it up. So thankful to the team at @Rainforest Cafe for helping us, Cha Cha the frog, and my brother’s upper body strength, to help make this dream come true. #rainforestcafe #chachathetreefrog #90skids #90sthrowback #90s ♬ sonido original – i24.millaaa

“It had been a lifelong dream of mine to own a table. I would joke and beg with the manager every year on my birthday to please sell me one. When the opportunity to rescue the tables and restore them for myself and other fans came up, I couldn’t pass it up.”

She added a thank-you: “So thankful to the team at @Rainforest Cafe for helping us, Cha Cha the frog, and my brother’s upper body strength, to help make this dream come true.”

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Her video drew plenty of support from other nostalgic fans.

“Excellent use of free will,” one person joked.

“I’m not kidding, name your price for the orca table,” another said.

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“Okay now open up your own Rainforest Cafe,” one commenter added. “The girls & gays will come.”

The Daily Dot has reached out to Noelle via TikTok direct messages for comment.

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