My Gym expands with site in mall

The Palm Harbor fitness center for children is opening a second site in the Largo Mall.

By THERESA BLACKWELL

© St. Petersburg Times,
published September 5, 2001

LARGO -- Business is so good at the 1-year-old My Gym fitness center for children in Palm Harbor that the owners will expand into a second location at the Largo Mall this week. The owners, Jan and Wade Smith, said it's more than a business, it's a contribution to the community.

As workers toiled in the new location at 10500 Ulmerton Road, Suite 210, last week, Jan Smith said the gym is a place for newborns through 12-year-olds to learn social and physical skills, feel good about themselves and have fun.

As the parents of three young children, the Wades said they also considered the needs of parents. Classes for younger children include parents. A sibling class, where siblings of different ages exercise and play together, means one car trip instead of several. And a nail salon, carved into some extra space, will be available so parents can have their nails done while their children are in class.

Before choosing Largo, the Wades checked the demographics and found more than 16,000 children up to 12 years old live within 5 to 6 miles of the Largo Mall.

The Wades live in Largo and said friends and members of their church asked them to open a gym in the area.

Wade Smith said it cost between $140,000 to $170,000 for renovations, equipment and franchise fees.

They plan to open other locations, with Brandon as their goal in 2002.

"We believe in My Gym so much, in the philosophy of noncompetitiveness, that we want to make it available in all the major communities in the area," Jan Wade said.

"Not everybody's athletic, but everybody can participate in athletics," Wade Smith said.

The classes are based on gymnastics with music and some free play time. The equipment and activities vary from week to week.

Two new classes at Largo are a girl's hip-hop aerobics class and a sports training class, in which children will develop major muscle groups used in sports.

Susan Whitehead of Oldsmar takes her two boys to the Palm Harbor My Gym sibling class and said they have a great time.

"It's the thing I use during the week to say, "Okay, if we don't do our homework, we don't go to My Gym,' " she said.

Whitehead said she also enjoys getting together with the other moms each week.

Though it's not all moms.

"I'm a Clearwater police officer, and I'm Dad," said Kyle Resler of Oldsmar, who takes his daughter, Kayla, 2, to My Gym on Mondays. Resler works a night shift, splitting child care with Amanda Resler, his wife.

"If you say we're going to My Gym, it's like saying, "We're going swimming,' " Resler said. "Kayla gets all excited."

Kayla likes dancing in a circle the best, and Resler likes the structure of the class and watching what Kayla has learned to do. He said his 2-year-old daughter has learned to do handstands, somersaults, balance on a beam and swing on a trapeze.

Tuition varies for eight weeks of classes: $105 for a 45-minute class; $110 for a one-hour class; and $120 for a 90-minute sports training class. Tuition is discounted for additional children from the same family.

Open house

My Gym at the Largo Mall will have an open house from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Classes start Sept. 17. For more information, go to the Web site www.my-gym.com or call (727) 581-6690.

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