MP Fit Club’s growth mirrors a shift in how Mt. Pleasant thinks about wellness

What used to be a 4,000-square-foot group fitness space is now an 18,000-square-foot multi-studio gym. 

MP Fit Club & Studio originally opened in Mt. Pleasant on Broomfield Road in 2014. At the time, the local fitness business focused on physical challenges and weight loss for their patrons. 

Since then, not only have they grown their physical space—over quadrupling their wellness facility’s square footage at their current 512 S. Mission Street location—but they’ve significantly grown their offerings, too. 

“We went from 4,000 to 9,000 to 18,000 square feet in a matter of like three years,” shares owner Beth Kemler. The growth included a move from Broomfield Road to the upper level of the Mission Street building in August 2022, followed by an expansion into the entire building in 2024.

The MP Fit facility now has four boutique-style fitness studios for Barre, ReformX, Cycling, Hot Yoga, and Hot Pilates classes, in addition to two larger gym spaces that host strength and cardio-centered classes, kickboxing, and much more. The gym also offers a “Wellness Suite” with red light therapy, a sauna, and salt cabin—open to members and non-members. 

Kemler says the move to Mission Street was prompted when the gym shut down for COVID. 

“I really was faced with a decision,” Kemler says. “I could either sell everything and be done or I just knew in my gut, I needed to level up if I was going to stay with it in the business.” 

Kemler says what started as a search for a second space to host cycling classes turned into a full-on move. 

The building located at 512 S. Mission Street had an empty second level and Kemler remodeled the entire thing. 

“This was scary,” Kemler recalls, gesturing to the now pristine building. “The roof was leaking. There was animal feces. It was very scary and needed a lot of work.”

Kemler says the demolition was pricey. They built out walls, added insulation, drywall, electrical, plumbing, flooring and a new roof. 

But investing a lot into her business was second nature to Kemler. She said she didn’t pay herself for the first 10 years of running MP Fit. 

“People think I’m absolutely insane, but it’s literally been a labor of love.” 

At her old space, Kemler did everything from teaching classes to mopping floors to doing taxes—all while sustaining her job at the Health Department.

 “I kind of always knew I was playing the long game,” Kemler says. “I was trying to get to that point through growth that someday this could be my only job.” 

“Now I’m figuring out what my new role in leadership looks like because it doesn’t look the same,” she says. 

These days, Kemler has more than 20 certified teachers and a manager to help her run the place.

“I can’t do this alone. I can’t teach all the classes alone,” Kemler says. “It’s really become a team effort more than ever.” 

Kemler says she’s focused less on teaching inside the gym and more on growing her business amidst the new changes. 

“That’s a hard piece for me because teaching classes fills my cup a lot,” Kemler says. “I’m trying to switch that mindset of it’s important to sometimes teach less and work on your business, especially if you want it to continue to thrive and grow.” 

Kemler said her business is thriving and growing by the day in its new space. 

“I feel like we definitely have a much bigger reach now,” she said. “Our membership has grown tremendously since coming here.” 

Kemler says she’s enrolled more locals and college students than ever after expanding and adding more “trendy” classes like Barre, Pilates and Cycle—classes that are most common in larger cities.

Although the high-demand classes get people in the door, Kemler said it’s the community the gym has built that makes them stay. 

“I hear more and more people talk about how positive this place is for their mental health more than their physical. Not that physical isn’t still happening, it definitely is,” Kemler adds. “At the end of the day, it is about community. It’s a place to just kind of invest in yourself, both physically and mentally.”

“People talk about how good it is for their mental health and stress and how there’s times that people are going through something really difficult and this place was the thing that helped them get through that,” she says. 

Kemler also believes the fitness industry as a whole has started to shift away from “six-pack” and “bikini-body” talk. 

“There’s still some toxic stuff out there … but we don’t speak like that here,” Kemler explains. “When motivating and encouraging as instructors in class, we’re talking about strength. We’re talking about being able to tackle all the things in the rest of our lives by building strength and confidence here.” 

Kemler says there’s a wide range of experience levels, ages, and abilities at MP Fit, from high-schoolers to folks in their 60s. 

“We strive for everyone to feel like they have a place and they belong here. So it doesn’t matter your age, your size, your gender, your color, anything, this is a community where everyone is welcome,” Kemler says. “We just want you to be able to come in and move your body in a way that just makes you feel good, and your best is enough.” 

Kemler says new members can sign up on MP Fit Club & Studio’s website, and can purchase single sessions, punch cards, or unlimited memberships options.