Fitness Center, works on rolling up turf Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022, at her former location in downtown Norwich. She recently purchased Summit Fitness in the Norwich Business Park and is expanding into the space. (Sarah Gordon/The Day)
Fitness Center, works on rolling up turf Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022, at her former location in downtown Norwich. She recently purchased Summit Fitness in the Norwich Business Park and is expanding into the space. (Sarah Gordon/The Day)
Facchini will take over the operations at the 2 Wisconsin Ave. location in the Norwich Business Park from owners Jolene and Henry Bowers, who will retire. Jolene Bowers will help with the transition but hopes to be done by the end of February. The couple purchased what was Norwich’s first fitness center 22 years ago. Jolene has worked at the center for the past 43 years.
The Bowers named it Summit, because it is located on the highest hill in Norwich. Facchini, however, will change it to Norwich Fitness Center.
Facchini plans to build on the Bowers’ legacy, integrating her multifaceted CrossFit and sports training programs and classes with the full-service gym on the hill. Facchini leaves behind a 5,000-square-foot space for the 40,000-square-foot facility including a 20,000-square-foot arena with three basketball courts.
On Friday, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and two representatives from the Women’s Business Development Council put a state spotlight on Facchini and Michelle Blais, owner of MB Graphic Design in Norwich, both recipients of the WBDC Equity Match Grant Program. Each received the maximum $10,000 matching grant funds to expand their operations.
During a news conference Friday, with members working on CrossFit gear in the background, Facchini said the grant helped pay for the move, buy new equipment, especially for her growing youth programs, and gave her working capital. Blais said she used the grant to develop a video for an online class for businesses learning to create or improve their websites.
“The Women’s Business Development equity match grant is my first grant that I actually applied for,” Facchini said. “I had no idea or any inkling that I would receive it, and I’m so excited that I did it. It actually gave me the confidence boost to keep pursuing this dream.”
Facchini, a 2007 Norwich Free Academy graduate, said she always wanted to open a sportsplex since she was a kid, when sports gave her a point of focus as a child in foster care.
“Sports saved me,” she said. “If it wasn’t for sports, I don’t know where I would be.”
She thanked city leaders and the Norwich Community Development Corp. for helping her get started at Foundry 66 downtown and to expand and move into the new facility.
Mayor Peter Nystrom said Facchini is a perfect example of how Foundry 66 helps businesses “incubate, expand, get stronger and get bigger with more opportunities for themselves and their clients.” He thanked her for staying in Norwich.
Facchini said her first task in the transition will be to transfer Summit’s 1,200 members into the new software system. She will assure them the current services and coaches will remain, and more will be added. All 10 of her coaches made the move. Her own members helped pack and move equipment one day this week.
