Long-time visitors and hopefully soon-to-be St. John residents Mark Dallas and his wife Michelle are busy working on several ideas for expansion and additional services at their new purchase, Gym in Paradise at The Marketplace.
Dallas, who has been a frequent visitor to St. John for the last 10 years, bought a fractional property in Virgin Grand Estates four years ago, where he’s spent a month on island each year since. The Gym in Paradise owner, who currently lives in Pennsylvania, enjoys working out often and heard opportunity knocking when the gym went on the market.
“I’ve been interested in property on St. John, and I’ve been working out forever,” said Dallas. “I was working out at Gym in Paradise, and my real estate agent told me it was for sale. At the time, I really didn’t think I could swing it, but they reduced the price and eventually I was able to do it.”
New Supplements, Lockers
Dallas, who was married last year on Cinnamon Bay, has several plans for the gym, some of which have already been put in place. He’s installed a new Powerade vending machine, and plans on offering a line of supplements for sale as well. Small lockers will soon be offered for patrons to store keys, purses and other small items while they work out.
“The biggest addition is going to be a training room,” said Dallas. “There’s an additional 275 square feet between us and the salon, and we’re going to make it into a training room with its own separate entrance. We’re installing flooring and mirrors, and this will hopefully be done by February 1.”
The room will be used for personal training by the gym’s four personal trainers, classes for fitness instructors who want to rent the room and teach anything from pilates to yoga, and even a babysitting area where parents can drop off their kids while they work out.
“We’re excited about that,” said Dallas. “We think it’s the one thing the island didn’t really have — one place to go to several different types of classes.”
Company Discounts
Dallas is open to suggestions for other ways to use the gym’s additional space, he added.
Although the new Gym in Paradise owner is currently managing his enterprise from off island, he has a good staff helping to keep things running smoothly, and he hopes to soon become a permanent St. John resident, he explained.
“Right now, Val the trainer is doing day to day stuff, and Brian is acting as a manger for me until I can find a house down there that doesn’t cost a gazillion dollars,” said Dallas.
Gym in Paradise currently offers cardio machines, treadmills, personal trainers and the island’s largest selection of weight training machines. Memberships are available, and Dallas plans to offer a discount to companies which enroll at least three of their employees.
For more information or to offer suggestions to the new Gym in Paradise owner, contact Val at 776-0600.
