20 years ago,
on September 3, 1985 Boze's first opened the doors to the public. During this time Boze's has gained the distinction of becoming the longest-serving, privately owned fitness centre in Manitoba.

In the early spring of 1985, while working with the Parkland Sport Council, David initially investigated the possibility of opening a fitness facility in Dauphin. When the idea of opening a publicly supported centre didn't pan out he gauged community support, and determined a private facility might be successful. His original business plan called for a multi-story building complete with squash and racquetball courts – situated on family owned property at the current Boze's location.

As David looked for financial support to develop Boze's he was met with disappointment – each institution he approached turned down his request for funding. As lending rates at the time hovered between 15-18%, David's plan to develop a new facility was deemed too risky a venture.

Discouraged, he considered shelving the idea completely, but while attending a spring fitness convention in Calgary he received a call from his Dad indicating an alternative location might be available. Mike's Furniture (currently the Sears Store) was looking to sub-lease, and after viewing the building David decided to put off construction of a new facility and set up "temporarily" at the Main Street location.

With the help of his family David proceeded to modify his original plans and get the business started. His Dad helped him secure a small business loan, his Mom gave him the idea for the business name, and after hiring a young but enthusiastic assistant (Neil Chura) things got busy in a hurry. Equipment was purchased, lease-hold improvements were made and the doors were thrown open on September 3, 1985.

The early years were interesting – and educational. Fitness was new and considered by many to be somewhat trendy. Aerobics classes were all the rage, with Boze's offering as many as 31 classes per week during the late 80's. Maggie added her expertise in fitness to the mix when she moved to Dauphin in 1987 and took an active role in leading group fitness programs.

After the original sub-lease with Mike's Furniture expired Boze's negotiated several additional agreements with then building owner Westfair Foods. However, as time went on it became more and more obvious that Boze's would need to relocate, as the "temporary" set-up left much to be desired.
Long-time members will remember the "rec-room style" paneling on the walls and the elevated shower rooms. In order to minimize costs, plumbing for the men's toilet/urinal and showers and the women's showers were laid on top of the floor. This configuration meant the showers, pipes, etc... could be moved to another location – and the building would remain in its original condition – one of the conditions of the lease.

Many walls were only 8 ft high – and others only went to the height of the existing ceiling tiles – thereby necessitating an overabundance of corners to add stability. The "temporary" walls led to air movement issues, as the heating and air conditioning system was designed for use in a warehouse style of building. Members will recall the frosty mirrors during aerobics classes and the plastic covering many of our single-pane, floor to ceiling windows.

By the early 90's it was obvious that a new facility was needed, and in 1995 the current Boze's facility was completed. Although somewhat different than originally planned, 10 years of business experience proved that the bankers were right – Boze's would never have survived financially if it was built as originally planned in 1985.

The new facility included components and features either inadequate or lacking in the Main Street location. For example, the group exercise area (aerobics room) has the same great cushioned floor (it was moved from Main Street) but windows and an extra wall of mirrors were added. The cardio area was constructed to allow for separate power supplies to each piece of equipment (no more circuit breakers blowing when starting up a treadmill) – and was recently expanded (no more lease conditions restricting modifications).

September marks Boze's 20th Anniversary. If you've been around for some or all of that time – Boze's has 17 original members – share a story or two with us. Simply visit our website at www.bozesbodyshop.com and send us an email with your comments. We'll post some of the more interesting offerings in future newsletters.

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