Longtime Lemoore couple seek fitness success as they expand their business, The Body Shop, a local fitness center, to Gateway Plaza

A gym also offers tangible benefits, including shedding unwanted pounds and maybe even slowing the aging process.

It has worked wonders for many, including a pair of married fitness addicts who decided to get into the fitness business – in a large way – particularly during a devastating pandemic.

And guess what? Mike and Colleen, Lemoore’s newest fitness gurus, have the perfect place in Lemoore. They call it The Body Shop, a local fitness center that recently relocated – and expanded – to the old Pioneer Square Shopping Center, known now as Gateway Plaza.

The Body Shop has been around for a while, initially founded by Kevin and Faith Jones in 2002 and located in downtown Lemoore. The Royers, kissing cousins of the Jones, purchased The Body Shop from Kevin and Faith in 2013.

“Colleen and I were members of The Body Shop, and always being self-employed, and being in the insurance business industry with income, I was looking for something to create that self-employment desire and also provide a residual income,” said Mike Royer.

As national and local health protocols relaxed amid hundreds of millions of COVID-19 vaccinations, businesses are opening again. Included in the spate of openings are gyms, restaurants, and a variety of local businesses. In some cases, businesses have even expanded, such as The Body Shop, Lemoore’s longtime fitness center, formerly an iconic presence located in downtown Lemoore.

The Pandemic certainly affected local businesses, including The Body Shop. “We were always the little guys, and we battled the corporate megastores,” said Royer, who insisted that he and Colleen decided to concentrate on customer service while creating a “family-type” environment.

It was when the local “In Shape” shut down early in 2020 that The Body Shop owners found themselves the beneficiaries of a slew of new members, tripling its membership rosters from about 400 to 1,200, a startling rise certainly indicting that local folks wanted a local place in which to exercise.  

Body Shop customers were indeed loyal to the small family-run gym during the COVID-19 period when the Royers were forced to shut down the business during a bad stretch of the pandemic. In March 2020, Royer sent emails to his customers advising them that they could continue paying their monthly membership or suspend it as long as the gym was closed due to health concerns.

“I would say that 90 percent of our customers continued to support us and then continued their monthly autopay,” recalled Royer. “So, what we did during our time (off) – we were closed for almost 90 days – we refreshed the location with new paint, additional upgrades and improved the look of it. We put a lot of money and effort into the D Street location.”

It was at about that point that Colleen and Mike decided to make their move. Despite their success at the downtown Lemoore location, Mike said that some members began canceling because their little gym was getting too crowded.

That was when Lemoore’s fitness entrepreneurs decided to make the move across town to a bigger location capable of meeting the community’s fitness needs. “We wanted to maintain our success,” said Royer. “We wanted to maintain the success we were having and prevent losing that success by having to compete with a club coming into this location (Gateway Plaza).”

The two married partners made the move in November 2020, eventually opening their “new” Body Shop on March 15.

The gym contains an impressive display of just about every fitness device and equipment one needs to keep healthy and fit – from stationary bikes and treadmills to weights and body-shaping devices. Don’t forget the guy or gal that enjoys working out on free weights or machines.

The Body Shop has just about everything needed to maintain a gym, including a wide array of supplements designed to keep one healthy.

“We started this process in November and opened up March 15. It’s been a little over a month now, and it’s been amazing. We’re pushing 2,000 members,” said a pleased Royer.

The lady of the gym, Colleen Royer, works at the fitness center full time. “I do all the ordering supplies and supplements,” she said. “We (Colleen and Mike) work out together every morning. I love everything about this, like its size and the atmosphere. It seems so much more of a health club than just a weightlifting gym. I feel that it meets every person’s needs,” she said.

Joining The Body Shop doesn’t cost a fortune either, particularly for seniors (65 and over) who – if he or she signs up as a single user – pays just $15 a month. There are various memberships available, including a monthly, no-contract fee of $29.99 single membership or even a single day fee that ranges from $5 to $30, depending on the experience the visitor wants.

The price goes up slightly depending on the level of services the user desires. It also offers a 24-hour-a-day option for those who think they might like an early morning (3 a.m.) workout.

For more information, call The Body Shop Health Club at 559-924-2334, email at bodyshophealthclub@gmail.com, or visit the business website at https://www.thebodyshophealthclub.com/contact-us/