Lunch leads to fitness center
Published 12:19 pm Thursday, February 17, 2011
Bette Schmitz and Debbie Retterath are owners of Keepin' the Pace, a 24-hour workout facility in Adams. — Matt Peterson/matt.peterson@austindailyherald.com
Debbie Retterath and Bette Schmitz have come up with some good ideas when they’ve gone out for lunch. That’s how they decided to start their own business, and eight years later, things are still rolling.
The women jointly own Keepin’ the Pace, a 24-hour workout facility in Adams. Formerly a small space that was behind a gas station, Keepin’ the Pace is now a main street entity with twice the space it had before.
“Once we made the decision, it was like, let’s go,” Retterath said about launching the business.
Debbie Retterath, left, and Bette Schmitz chat about future equipment they may put in their workout facility. — Matt Peterson/matt.peterson@austindailyherald.com
Several weeks after they met for lunch that day, they had their own business up and running. Because all types of people from many areas use the facility, the women had to move the business to a bigger building — the former furniture store.
Its members range from high-schoolers to senior citizens, and they come from LeRoy, Rose Creek, Elkton, Stacyville and elsewhere.
Retterath and Schmitz like to do things their own ways, too. They didn’t want to start a chain or become part of a franchise.
“We’re here to serve the community more than anything,” Retterath said.
Originally, they started with circuit training equipment. Now they have expanded to multiple cardio units, along with resistance machines, cable machines and free weights.
Although the two women can’t be there to run the facility 24/7, they accomodate for their clients. Fingerprint access allows any of their members to use the facility when needed. And those members are also free of contractual obligations.
Throughout the years, Keepin’ the Pace has kept a consistent clientele, according to the owners. They also know nearly everyone who joins the facility — a benefit that keeps their own workout routines on track.
“They’re your support system,” Schmitz said. “When you miss a morning, they end up going, ‘where were you?’”
And Passion for exercise keeps the owners upgrading their equipment and catering to their clients. Although they said Keepin’ the Pace has done “okay,” both Retterath and Schmitz know it was a good business venture; and they’ve had fun with it.
“It’s given us a great reason to go to lunch more often,” Schmitz said with a smile.
