Ellipse Fitness Makes the News!
The Buzz: Fitness, massage places open; competitor closes
By Maureen Wallenfang
Post-Crescent staff writer
April 19, 2007
The wellness business is well or ailing, depending on which business owner you ask. For three operations in expansion or startup mode, things are looking good. Another shut, however, as an apparent casualty of an unhealthy bottom line.
Opening
Ellipse Fitness — in expansion mode through its new franchise arm — sees its third franchised studio open April 30 on Appleton’s north side. That follows its January franchise debuts in Darboy and Allouez. Waukesha’s Ellipse, the fourth, opens in June. Ellipse is one of the few local businesses making the leap into franchising itself.
“We just hired an outside franchise director and that’s a big step for us,” said Shana Conradt who owns the company with Lisa Welko. Ellipse, she said, is “a classes-only club specializing in kickboxing, boot camp and body shaping classes. We also have a personalized weight loss program.”
New Appleton North franchisee, Jackie Phiscator, a former JanSport employee, is a huge proponent of the business because she’d first been a client. “It’s a mix of cardio and strength training. You become lean. When I started, I thought, ‘If this doesn’t kick my butt, nothing will.’ It did.” The result, for her, was a 30-pound weight loss. Her Ellipse studio is at 3505 Commerce Court, behind the Hardee’s at Ballard Road and Capitol Drive.
Massage by Spa BenMarNico’s opens today, and it’s another place that seeks to increase well-being. It’s inside Best Western Bridgewood Resort Hotel in Neenah, and is a branch of Sue Russo’s growing empire that includes Salon BenMarNico’s in Buchanan and Spa BenMarNico’s in the CopperLeaf Hotel in downtown Appleton, where business is booming.
“She’s done a great job for us at the CopperLeaf and we’ve seen a definite increase in our weekend business. A part of it is attributed to her spa being there,” said Rich Batley, operating partner at both hotels, who invited Russo to Neenah. He said the Bridgewood location will start with a varied menu of massages. “Maybe down the road we’ll do a whole spa here.”
In Neenah, as in her CopperLeaf location, Russo wanted to take the “it’s just a girl thing” excuse out of the spa experience and make it welcoming for men as well. “We’re doing a lot of couples massages. That’s a big trend,” Russo said. “The hotel is located on a golf course, so we assume we’re also going to get a lot of golfers for our sports massage.”
Closed
At the same time others are opening, one wellness business closed. Superior Massage and Wellness Center at 2700 E. Enterprise Drive, on Appleton’s northside, shut after less than two years in business. On www.superiormassageandwellness.com, owner Tammy Gillespie gives contact information for therapists, yoga teachers and life coaches as well as gift certificate redemption. Gillespie was not available for comment, but briefly had a note on her Web site saying the decision to close was financially prudent.
More openings
One of the displaced Superior Massage and Wellness Center’s massage therapists, Nancy Creighton, saw the opportunity to open her own business, Massage for People and Pets, in Grand Chute. She’ll take people clients at her 1111 N. Lynndale Drive office, and do pet massages in homes. “Massage is especially beneficial for athletic dogs, older dogs and large breed puppies while they’re growing,” she said.
As with other new businesses, find details at Buzz 411 on www.postcrescent.com.
Sassy’s Bar & Grill opens Friday in Center. It takes over the spot that was previously the Red Fox Supper Club, N4510 County A, north of Appleton. Its new owners changed the personality of the place. “We’re not a supper club, we’re a bar and grill,” said Terri Buman who owns the place with husband Scott. They added darts, pool tables and put in a burger/salad/wraps menu.
Moves
Plaza Philippine Store moved from Locust Street to 131 W. Wisconsin Ave., Appleton, site of the closed Admired Gifts. The specialty grocery store stocks Filipino foods, like the highly prized Goldilocks brand of siopao steamed buns, frozen fish, sweet pork and sauces, and draws customers from as far away as Wausau. “They moved from their home, but they still want their own foods,” said owner Liz Thomas of the transplanted Filipinos who will drive many miles to find her store. To thank them, she’s putting on a pig roast in May.
Grand Chute’s Petco moved Monday from 345 Mall Drive to a new location at 711 N. Casaloma Drive, the strip that also includes The Wire Whisk and Guitar Center. Petco is on the end where Country Sampler once stood. The 14,000-square-foot store layout is similar to the new Petco that opened on the eastside in February. Both have full service grooming salons.
Looking
Plenty of readers have asked over the years when, or if, Hansen’s Dairy & Deli in Green Bay will ever make it to the Appleton area. Now it looks like that will happen.
Hansen’s new owners, Larry and Andrea Verheyden, hope to find a good spot and open in the Fox Cities within the next 12 months. The store will sell ice cream, dairy products, sub sandwiches and pizzas.
“There should have been one there 10 years ago,” said Larry Verheyden, who also owns Royal Electric in Little Chute. “You won’t find us on College Avenue or by the Fox River Mall,” he added. “What makes the stores successful is that they’re truly neighborhood stores.”
Maureen Wallenfang can be reached at 920-993-1000, ext. 287, or mwallenfang@postcrescent.com.