Sibling Partnership. A Woman and her Two Brothers now Operate Two Marion County Gyms.

Ocala Star-Banner 1-2-2023

By Austin L Miller

Usually, Pat Shrader is in the gym working out five days a week. The retired postal worker likes to stay healthy.  Peddling away on a stationary bicycle during a recent workout, Shrader was all smiles while watching the screen on the iPad in front of her.

"It excited me when I saw they were opening something here," said the 66-year-old Shrader.

That "something" is Workout Anytime, a 24/7 gym located in the Pearl Britain Plaza, 2683 NE 35th St., Ocala. It opened on Dec. 19.

The operators are Vicki Richeson and her two brothers, Allan and Rob Svihlik. The siblings bought into the franchise in late 2019 with a desire to open three gyms in Indiana, where the brothers presently live.

According to its website, Workout Anytime Franchising started in the early 1970s and now has just under 200 franchise locations nationwide.

The siblings' dreams were temporarily put on hold when COVID-19 reared its ugly head, forcing places like gyms to temporarily close.

"It was difficult to open a gym in 2020 with COVID preventing new gyms from opening," Richeson said.

Despite the setback, the siblings continued their search for a place to open a gym.

How did they decide on Marion County?

Born in Chicago, Richeson was raised in northern Wisconsin. During her travels, Richeson said, she and her husband would visit her husband's uncle in Ocklawaha. Eventually, Richeson fell in love with Marion County and decided to move to Dunnellon in 2019.

"It doesn't snow here," she said with a laugh.

She and her brothers then decided to open their gym, Workout Anytime, in Dunnellon.

Settling on a site, the brothers-and-sister combination opened the doors in late January 2022 at 11352 N. Williams St., Suite 201, next to Publix. At the Dunnellon spot, Richeson said, the gym has 1,900 members. Time will tell how big the membership base grows to be at the new northeast Ocala location.

Looking ahead to a healthy 2023

Richeson said gyms are beneficial, uniting the community and providing a place that helps people stay healthy.

The gym has a recovery suite that includes several options for customers. They include a lounge area, an infrared sauna, tanning area and a cryotherapy bed.

entire article: https://www.ocala.com/story/business/2022/12/30/three-siblings-operate-marion-countys-two-workout-anytime-branches/69747543007/