Hoffman and Connolly partner to form family-focused exercise and fitness store

Jan 4 2010

"It was so obvious, I can't believe I never thought of it before," said Don Hoffman.

"It was definitely a chocolate and peanut butter moment," added Mike Connolly.

Hoffman and Connolly are two entrepreneurs each owning what seem to be unrelated businesses, however both share a common passion, bringing health and well being into the home in a fun and motivating way. Now, together they are trying to change the way families approach health and fitness.

Hoffman is the owner of Creative Playthings, one of the nation's oldest and largest children's backyard play-set manufacturers and retailers. Connolly is the owner of Creative Fitness Solutions, one of the largest quality fitness equipment retailers.

In summer of 2009, Hoffman walked into one of Connolly's stores looking for a treadmill for his home. When the two met, lengthy discussion regarding the importance of fitness at every age ensued.

Hoffman noted to Connolly that they were essentially in the same business, only Creative Playthings was for kids and The Fitness Store was for adults. In fact, they were sharing many of the same customers who were ultimately buying products for different members of the family for the same goal.

Their shared passion for the importance of health and wellness was evident and the synergy between their two businesses became clear.

In late 2009, Hoffman and Connolly entered a joint venture to bring their two businesses together to form the nation's first and only family focused exercise and fitness store aimed at giving the whole family fun and motivational exercise options that suit each member of the family's age and lifestyle.

"It's indisputable that moving the body and staying active is one of the key fundamentals of staying fit and living healthy. This is true whether you're 10, 25, 40, or 80 years old," explains Connolly. "I've always felt the fitness product industry was missing the boat when it came to issues of childhood obesity and encouraging parents to set the example for their children. There have been some fantastic innovations in adult oriented fitness products, but really nothing for the kids. There were a few products out there aimed at children, but mostly downsized versions of adult products; kids want to play, not work out."

Hoffman couldn't agree more.

"We've said for years that a backyard play-set is not just one big playground, it's a developmental tool that builds strength, flexibility, dexterity, balance and coordination, and most importantly, confidence," said Hoffman. "I've had so many parents over the years as customers who were adamant about instilling the importance of staying fit and active in their children, but were not leading by example. We had nothing to offer the parents who wanted to commit the whole family to fitness."

The new venture called Creative Playthings / The Fitness Store utilizes the existing 20 Creative Playthings Stores and staff, sharing the floor space with The Fitness Store. The product offering includes dozens of options for outdoor play-sets as well as dozens of options for adult fitness including treadmills, stationary bikes, ellipticals, and home strength training systems.

"Our goal is to be the premier, one-stop shop for everything your whole family needs to work out in the safety and convenience of your home," said Connolly.