GENEVA — A longtime fitness professional and Geneva native finds herself the happy new owner of a downtown fitness center, crediting serendipity with helping keep the community hub alive and well.
Kari D., a freelance fitness trainer and Geneva Fit Club regular, bought the business late last year. It was around Dec. 10 when co-owner Don Scalise told Kari he was retiring and working toward closing the gym. Don and Patti Scalise created the gym in 2018 and have nurtured it into a respected downtown fixture.
“We shed some tears about it,” Kari said.
After the initial shock and sadness, Kari began looking to secure another facility where she could train her in-gym clients. She reached out to her friend, Marissa Grillone, who co-owns Wine Country Fitness with her husband, Derek, on Hamilton Street in Geneva. They welcomed her with open arms.
“So, now I had a home for my clients to go to,” Kari said. “I could have stopped there, but having this place close kept me up at night.”
Then, one morning, Kari envisioned another possibility.
“I texted my husband (Pat) and I said, ‘Should we buy the gym?’” He replied, “Let’s talk about it tonight.”
That talk led to a discussion between the two couples. Kari and her husband knew time was of the essence.
The timing couldn’t have been more hectic. It was Christmas season. It was also birthday time for Kari and Pat’s daughter. And, the couple had plans to go to Florida right after Christmas.
The clock was ticking. The deal needed to be finalized at the month’s end. With a few days to spare, the deal went through and Kari bought herself Geneva Fit Club.
“I love it here,” she exclaimed. “It’s my happy place. It’s always been my happy place.”
“I bought a self-sustaining business. It’s all up and running, and Don and Patti made it a great staple in downtown Geneva for me to come in and just take over and do exactly what they were doing.”
With the passing of the torch, Kari and Don are working to make the transition seamless and successful. Both are invested in seeing the enterprise continue in good health.
“I’ve watched Don over the years do maintenance to the machines,” Kari said. “I’m still trying to pick it up so I can pick up where he leaves off. The older treadmills are in perfect working order because of how well Don maintained them. He is teaching me and mentoring me. Don has shown me how to do it all.”
Kari’s vision for the future promises steady stewardship and continuity in amenities.
“Honestly, I don’t want it to change too much,” she reflected. “I absolutely love the way that things are.”
“I definitely want to see classes happen within the next 18 months,” Kari added. “It is always more fun to do exercise with friends.”
She is thinking through options and gauging membership interest while she moves toward creating group fitness classes. She aims to institute “small but mighty changes.”
The club has a crew of highly skilled, diverse trainers on hand.
“We have a wide variety of personal trainers here,” she confirmed. “We go from bodybuilding to active aging personal training. No matter what your fitness level is, we have a trainer for it.”
Kari’s practice includes working with active aging individuals, post-injury clients to include stroke patients, and the general fitness population. She holds credentials from the American Council on Exercise and the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
Kari would like to see Geneva Fit Club become a household name. What she means is that not only is the club a great place to work out, but also that it is dedicated to giving back to the community.
“It’s not just about me, but it’s about the community that we live in and having the gym be a part of that too,” she said.
Recently, the Lady AP Elite softball team needed a place to train. Kari solved the problem by opening her space to the team as a donation. Now the team trains there twice a week.
“To me, it’s more important to keep my prices where it’s affordable to all,” she added, “and to be able to donate space instead of making money off of kids that need the space. So I would rather not take a paycheck. I’m paying myself in knowing how great it feels inside to be able to give that to the community.”