MOUNT VERNON, IL (WSIL) -- It's that time of the year again. It's when many of us take a look at ourselves in a mirror and make those New Year's Resolutions and say, 'I need to go to the gym more.'
"Looking good is a bonus," said Cassy Karcher, owner of Femme Fit 618. "That's great. Everyone wants to look good but if you can feel good and perform well in your day-to-day life well, that confidence goes to every other part of your life."
Karcher hopes to see more business come through the door thanks to those New Year's resolutions.
"It's a whole lot more than just working out," said Karcher. "It's about finding a community that will support you as you work toward your goals and not just focus on the goal itself. it's more about the journey"
Recently, Karcher posted a passionate video on social media about her struggles with keeping her doors open.
"Honestly we just can't compete with $10 a month memberships," she said in the video. "If I charged $10 a month I wouldn't be able to pay half my rent."
Inflation, COVID, and the rising cost of goods have all played a role in the struggles to keep the doors open at Femme Fit 618 in Mt. Vernon.
"It can be very frustrating," Karcher says. "When we started our business model was so successful. Then COVID happen and from there on it's been just one hit after another for small businesses."
One issue is trying to get customers back into the door. Before COVID, Karcher says her membership was more than 300. Today, it's less than half that.
"It's out of our control so it stings in a different way," she stresses. "When you see everything you've built and put your life's savings and your blood, your sweat, and your tears into this, you see it fading in front of you for things you can't control. It gets hard."
One of those loyal customers of FEMME FIT is Shena Marlow. She's been a member for nearly four years and says there's more to being a member of a local gym besides the workout.
Your local gyms put a lot out there to the community," said Marlow. "They help donate to sports and other benefits. We help raise money for all sorts of different situations. Your local gyms are more likely to put on some sort of benefit to raise money to help with that situation."
Karcher also knows how tough it is to lose weight and get into shape. After losing 100 pounds in 2012, she hopes her story can be an inspiration to others.
"Most people were shocked when I told people I was going to open a gym," said Karcher. "But I wanted to feel better and I wanted to feel better about myself and I wanted to do that too."
