Business is Good for New Lexington Avenue Gym Owner

is doing well under new owner Nina Preizler, who reported that enrollment has been increasing since she took over.

“It’s been so far, so good," she said.

On average, the Mount Kisco-based gym has gained one new member per week, which is a positive development for a small facility. In addition, Preizler says that old members have started returning.

The rise in membership has coincided with several changes made under Preizler. Since she assumed control at the start of last September, a new logo and signed have been replace out front, along with an aggressive marketing and advertising campaign in local media. Service has become digitized, with new software used to complete previous manual tasks such as scheduling appointments and keeping track of signups from customers.

At the same time, Preizler has invested in new equipment and added new services: nutritional counseling and afternoon fit classes.

Percy Thomas, who has been a trainer at the gym for six years, described the new ownership as having a good atmosphere. This has included opening things up more for the space and changing the way different exercises are done.

In total there are 11 trainers employed, according to Preizler, including those who work full time and part time. She decided to keep them on after buying the gym.

“I kept the same trainers and they’re still wonderful," she said.

One of the advantages of the gym, according to Preizler, is the a la carte plan for purchasing services. Lexington Avenue doesn't charge a membership fee, so as a result customers pay only for the services that they use.

Another change is that the gym is promoted for its different services. While boxing remains a popular item, there had historically been a perception that the gym was focused primarily around it for men doing it. In fact, many of its members are women and children.

Becoming an entreprenuer is a new chapter in Preizler's life. A Bedford Hills resident and mother of three, her previous career was in teaching. Certified as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher, Preizler taught in New York City schools, the Bedford school district and in the Harrison school district.

Her life suddenly changed in the spring of 2010 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Fortunately for her, it was caught early and surgery was quickly done. After surviving the illness, she said that she wasn't ready to go back to teaching. Eventually, she made the career switch because she felt that it was the right opportunity.

“It just felt like the right time," she said.

For more information about Lexington Avenue Gym, .