Curves® moves to Norway

Photo: Kayla Collins

ALL MOVED IN — Lorraine Clukey is the owner of the new Curves® facility in Norway, which moved from Paris to the old Norway Lake Marina on Lake Pennesseewassee October 1. 

Photo: Kayla Collins

ON THE LAKE — The new Curves® facility located on Lake Pennesseewassee in Norway. The owner, Lorraine Clukey, moved her facility from the Save-A-Lot Plaza in Paris to the old Norway Lake Marina on Route 117 on October 1. 

NORWAY —  Curves®  Health Club has moved to Norway after 12 years of business in Paris – but now, it's offering more than just a fitness plan to its clients, says the owner Lorraine Clukey.  

"There's always something new at Curves®. We are always doing something different here!" Clukey says. 

Clukey, who took over the business a year-and-a-half ago, says she is excited about the move, which officially took place October 1. The grand opening also marked one year since Clukey quit smoking. 

Clukey says Curves® was actually the reason she quit smoking and she announced Monday that she's feeling better than ever. 

While the new facility will have the same amount of space, rent is much cheaper, says Clukey. "[Not to mention] the view is beautiful and is a much more serene place to work out," she says. 

Curves®  is now operating out of the old Norway Lake Marina on Lake Pennesseewassee. According to Clukey, the marina has been vacant for years. She says the new location is perfect for the health club. 

She and her clients agree that what's best about the new location is the environment – specifically, the air quality.

Unlike the old facility, located in the Save-A-Lot Plaza in Paris, the marina has windows – now clients can open the windows to feel a breeze while they're working out, says Clukey. 

During Monday's grand opening, clients were excited to share how they felt about the new facility. 

"This is the best move she could've possibly made," said Cathy Stevenson, who has been a member of Curves® for four years. 

"It's cozy, it's cheerful and it's bright," she said Monday. "This is way better than the old facility." 

Stevenson also said that it's not too far from her home in Oxford and the fact that it's on the lake is a plus. "It motivates me to come exercise more," she said. 

"I think it's very cheery and appealing," said Jeanne Silverman from Norway. Silverman has been a member of Curves® since 2005.

"I like the higher ceilings. It definitely feels more open," she said Monday. She also likes that the new facility is more convenient for her than having to drive to Paris. 

Six-year member Bernice Kehn, from Norway, agreed. "It's much closer to home."

"She really did a good job," Kehn said of Clukey and her decision to move to a more inviting place. 

The inside of the marina has been completely renovated, says Clukey. She even made time to personally design a new eye-catching sign that hangs on the front of the building. 

Currently, Clukey has 120 clients who live in Norway, Paris, Oxford, Otisfield and Harrison. Many use the facility four to five times a week, she said. On a daily basis she sees about 50 clients. 

According to Clukey, many of her clients joined the club by word of mouth. She's hoping that by operating a more useful and attractive facility, clientele will continue to grow. 

On Thursday, before Curves®  moved to Norway, Clukey said she had five more women join the club after learning of the new location. 

Clukey's Curves®  program is basically like those across the country, she says, except for the fact that hers is designed to exercise every part of the body, including the brain. 

Clukey says her favorite part of owning the business is her clients, many whom have stuck around since the doors opened in Paris. 

"The women are the best [part] about my job. It's like a family ... If you are having a bad day, they are right there to give you a hug." 

She also commends her clients not only for their business, but their efforts in giving back to the community. 

"We have the most generous women here at Curves®," says Clukey. 

Aside from working out, the women all participate in fundraisers for local schools, Christmas for Kids and cancer awareness, she says.

In fact, Clukey says October is Breast Cancer awareness month – but now the women are focusing on awareness of all kinds of cancers. In October, Curves® allows any woman join for free, without a service fee, she explains. 

Giving people the opportunity to help them become healthy, says Clukey, is another aspect of Curves®  she loves. And, it's all done within a full 30-minute cardio workout. 

Clukey was the manager of Curves®  in Paris a year before she bought it and has been a member of the health club for about three years. Since she joined, she's managed to go from a size 22 to a size 12. "I've lost 100 pounds," she says.

Curves® has also turned Clukey into a social butterfly, she says, as Curves® is also a social club for women. 

"Before Curves®, I was a timid person," says Clukey. 

I didn't have a voice. I was very meek ... I was a peacekeeper. Curves® bolstered my attitude!" she says. "Curves® made me stronger as a person." 

That's the same attitude she's hoping her clients will also walk away with, especially from the new and improved location on the lake. 

"The minute I walk into the building, it's totally different," says Clukey of the space. She also likes that her clients now get to enjoy a view of the lake versus a parking lot full of cars. 

She hopes it will give the clients the feeling that they are even more glad to be there. 

On Monday, Clukey said she had the largest group of ladies by 7 a.m. she's ever had. By 11 a.m. she had already seen 20 clients. 

"We lost two feet of space, but gained so much more," she said. 

"It's definitely worth all the effort." 

Photo: Kayla Collins

STRETCHING — Bernice Kehn, of Norway, stretches out at the new Curves® facility in Norway. Kehn has been a member of Curves® for six years and says the new facility is cozy and a lot more convenient for her to get to from home.