COMMUNITY
Sweats and Sweets
This southeastern Ohio couple runs two full-time businesses: an exercise facility and a sweets shop.
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BY JOSIE DONOHUE | PHOTOS PROVIDED BY JESSICA BREWER | DESIGN BY RACHEL RECTOR
ometimes, the ingredients to the recipe for success don’t seem to go hand in hand. For Chase and Madi Jenkins, their success stems from owning two seemingly opposite small businesses: a local gym and an e-commerce cookie company. The Jenkins decided to quit their regular day jobs and pursue their dreams of opening their own small businesses.These high school sweethearts turned business partners started thinking about opening a gym in Southeast Ohio after finding that Meigs County did not have access to health programs close to home. This news motivated Chase to take up a full-time position in 2019 as the small business owner of Uplift Fitness located on Main Street in Pomeroy, Ohio, overlooking the Ohio River. At Uplift, they strive to be “counter-fitness culture” to create an environment where anyone can feel welcome at any stage of their personal health journey. The Jenkins' have also curated many resources for their members outside of the physical facility on their website, upliftfitnessohio.com, such as recipes, classes, online workshops, educational programs and much more. backdrop | Fall 2021 3030
“We’re always adding and adding because we want to build value. As we go along, the more we interact with people, and we see more needs,” Chase says. The gym offers two different membership packages: one that provides 24/7 access and one that allows fitness-goers to visit the gym during regularly staffed hours. When in the gym, personal trainers are there to assist and welcome members in with a smile and a friendly face. Cole Durst, a junior at Ohio University studying exercise physiology, has been going to Uplift Fitness for two and a half years now due to its welcoming environment and opportunity to work with a personal trainer. Durst is currently set to soon become a personal trainer himself at Uplift and looks forward to helping people in the community. “Chase and Madi have been tremendous to work with. They definitely give it their all in everything they do and I’m excited to see how much more they accomplish,” Durst says. The goal for Uplift Fitness is to create an atmosphere where members can feel comfortable and positive about their
