Today we’d like to introduce you to Nina Pralour and Crystal Boniello.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Nina and Crystal. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I am a lifelong resident of Roslindale so I was keenly aware of the need for a fitness center located in Roslindale. I met Crystal Boniello at our former employer and after getting to know her, I realized that she had a knack for making things happen. She had also been a co-owner of two gyms in Leominster and Townsend, MA. I randomly said “We should open a gym ourselves” and she said “Let’s Do It”. From there, we became business partners. I had already decided that I wanted to open the first gym in Roslindale so we searched for an appropriate location in the square for about a year. After one lease fell through, we came upon a space that used to be a bakery/restaurant that was being sold. We were lucky enough to find a business man who was interested in owning real estate in Rosi so he purchased the building and allowed us to do what we wanted, no questions asked.
We had to basically gut the building and start from scratch. It took 9 months but we did it and opened the doors on Dec. 20, 2014. We were the first 24hr fitness center in Boston. Since then, we have been able to build a loyal group of local fitness enthusiasts who take care of the space as if it were their own. We are always present and members enjoy knowing that we are invested. We love fitness and feel great bringing a health conscious space to the community.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It was not easy getting people to listen to us “girls”. We had to consistently fight for our ideas with the various contractors and service people, all men by the way, who thought we had unrealistic expectations for the work product. We are both very capable women who were leaders in our fields so this was not taken very lightly. If we heard “you girls” once we heard it 1000 times.
It was also tough convincing the city and the neighbors that we had a model that was sustainable over time. The 24hr access was key to our success and we had to make that point locally and to the city. It took petitions, community meetings, hearings downtown, and sign off from the police rep to get us here.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with FitChoice 24/7 – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
FitChoice is a 4000 sq. ft. privately owned and operated co-ed fitness facility. We offer a unique fitness experience based on core strength via state of the art cardio, weights, and free range of motion equipment. All members are given 3 free equipment orientations to help build their workout and challenge their work out mentality. Members have 24hr access to the gym creating a “no excuses” environment for all. We offer HIIT classes and have personal trainers who work directly with those clients who want a more personal training experience. We are best known for being a really clean, always friendly, non-intimidating environment for men and women who don’t need or want all of the gimmicks. Our members know us as the owners and feel comfortable letting us know when people are breaking the rules.
There’s a feeling of ownership that drives many of our members to keep coming. That is what we are most proud of and that is what our members have told us sets us apart.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
In the future, we would love to open a 2nd and possibly third FitChoice giving members the option for reciprocity amongst the FitChoice brand. We want to partner with other healthy lifestyle companies to offer full service opportunities for a reasonable price.
Pricing:
- Individual Memberships are $49/month (with a 12 month agreement)
- Couples Memberships are $69/month (with a 12 month agreement)
- Family plans are available.
Contact Info:
- Address: 4170 Washington St, Roslindale, MA 02131
- Website: www.fitchoice247.com
- Phone: 617-942-2560
- Email: info@fitchoice247.com
- Facebook: fb.com/fitchoice247
- Twitter: @fitchoice247
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
