A tale of two stories

By Kris Leonhardt

LOYAL – “My story is two-part really – the building renovation of The Loyal House and the newly established business, The Fitness Room,” owner Debi Suda stated.

“The idea of The Fitness Room stems from just a personal project to buy a piece of property to stay at while visiting family in Loyal. In December 2018, I bought the vacant IGA Supermarket building in downtown Loyal with the intention to remodel the upstairs apartment while restoring the entire building little by little.”

But, she soon found an appreciation of the old 1904 IGA Supermarket building, which she knew needed a lot of work but had “charm and history and good bones.”

She renamed the structure, “The Loyal House.”

“I had a five-year plan and it began with my first demolition in January 2019. But during the renovation there was quite a bit of inquiry from the community as to how the main level space was going to be used. So, with the help of my Loyal family, we did some brainstorming as to what the community wanted and needed and came up with the idea of a much-needed workout facility. So now, my personal plan changed to a business plan and I believe I met the challenge successfully,” she explained.

Suda is a Loyal native, who owns a rental business called DS Properties Rental, LLC, which she operates from her home in Ham Lake, MN.

“The Fitness Room resides in the main level of The Loyal House at 230 N Main Street and offers 2400 square feet of gym space. It is a member’s only club and is managed and operated locally as well as remotely from Minneapolis,” she explained.

“The fitness gym is an exclusive facility with a minimum age requirement of 18 years old and operates a monthly membership program. Members have unlimited use of the facility by keyless entry between the business hours of 5 a.m. and 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday. There is a security system that monitors the building and the business around the clock. The amenities include a variety of new cardio and strength equipment, a separate studio area and an assortment of workout apparatus for a multitude of workout activities.”

While the business will host a ribbon cutting ceremony on Sept. 11, Suda already has a year underway in the facility at 230 N. Main St., Loyal.

For more information, visit www.thefitnessroomloyal.com.