Who's Who: Damian Cooksey

Name: Damian Cooksey

Age: 34

Occupation: Owner of in El Cerrito

What made you decide to open a gym here? I was working in construction in the office at McCutcheon in Berkeley. I saw a path in front of me that I could take as a career. ... I realized that I loved construction, but it wasn’t something I was really passionate about.

I had been thinking about the idea of opening a business for a while. ... I was home sick one day and read a book that had some advice about finding your right occupation in life. The suggestion was to think of something that you’ve loved since you were a kid and try to create a career out of that, because it’s something that you’ll stay enthusiastic about and that you'll have the energy for and be able to put a lot into. I went into work the next day and quit my job.

Why El Cerrito and why rock climbing? Rock climbing is a great form of exercise. It’s a lot of fun. I saw people going to regular gyms and getting bored with that after a while. ... With climbing it’s something that is a lot more social if you want it to be, and it’s constantly different. We change the routes on the walls every six to eight weeks, so there’s always something new to do in here. 

What are some of the challenges you’ve faced as a new business owner? We opened at probably the worst time in history. That’s been a challenge for us. Over 10 percent of the East Bay is unemployed right now. Being a business that’s starting up in that atmosphere is challenging — convincing people that this is the place they want to spend their time and money and efforts in getting in shape. To the average person that walks in the door, this can seem kind of intimidating, but once people try it, they usually realize what a great exercise it is and also have fun doing it. 

What do you think about the area? It’s great. It’s been so well-received by the community. There’s a lot of people that have and haven’t tried rock climbing. ... Other gyms are too far away for them to travel to. It’s a great location for us. The families that come in here are great. We have after-school programs, so parents can take a yoga class while their kids are in the after-school program. 

Is there anything else you want to add about El Cerrito? El Cerrito is definitely one of the Bay Area’s lesser-known communities. It’s becoming more desirable than it was in the past. Families are moving here, and it’s great to see the community coming together in that way. The theater and the new Plaza – it’s all good stuff.

Are you a Bay Area Native? No. I’m from Iowa. I grew up in Iowa and then moved to LA for five years and then here after being in LA. I lived in El Cerrito for a year right when I moved here – it was cool to be able to open the gym here because I had a connection with El Cerrito right from the very beginning.

What moved you from Iowa to California? I moved from LA to be an actor, actually. I went to auditions.

Too cut throat? That’s exactly right; you nailed it.