A first-of-its-kind fitness studio is opening in Traverse City, the owners of Incredible Mo’s and Pangea’s Pizza Pub are expanding both businesses, a local production bakery is opening its first brick-and-mortar location – and other businesses are on the move in The Ticker’s latest look at openings and closings across the region.

fit20
A new high-intensity training (HIT) fitness studio is opening its doors in downtown Traverse City, marking the U.S. debut of a popular European franchise.

fit20 is located at 444 Cass Street near Hagerty Insurance. The 114th studio worldwide – and first stateside – fit20 promotes one 20-minute-per-week workout session (pictured) focused on six different exercises completed in slow motion to train all main muscle groups. Sessions are either one-on-one with a personal trainer or one other training partner and are by appointment only. The studio is set to 63 degrees; the cooler temperature combined with the slow-motion nature of the exercises means participants don’t usually sweat and so don’t need to change clothes or take showers after sessions, according to Traverse City franchise owner Mark Mattis.

“It’s (ideal) for business professionals, stay-at-home mothers, retirees…it fits anyone, but especially people who have busy schedules and really don’t have the time to get in multiple workouts a week,” says Mattis. 

Mattis, a Suttons Bay native, has been a personal trainer locally for the last 11 years and was approached by business partner Roger Karsten about bringing the fit20 franchise – which has over 10,000 members worldwide – to the U.S. 

While fit20’s grand opening date is set for January 18, the studio is already operating now in a “soft opening” phase. The company is offering a free introductory session to new members, with various membership levels offered beyond that point. New members can sign up for a free session through the fit20 Facebook page or by calling 231-421-3616.

Incredible Mo’s/Pangea’s
The owners of Incredible Mo’s in Grawn and Pangea’s Pizza Pub in downtown Traverse City are planning 2018 expansions of both businesses.

Chris and Sandra Mohrhardt are building three new escape rooms at Incredible Mo’s that are set to open in early 2018. The couple has an exclusive franchise agreement with national escape room company Escapology to bring the games to northern Michigan. Escape rooms are cooperative puzzle environments in which players are locked together in a themed room for one hour and must work together to collect clues and solve challenges to “break out” of the room.

Chris Mohrhardt says Incredible Mo’s will offer three unique rooms: Budapest Express, involving a murder mystery in a European train-themed room; The Code, set in an Anonymous-type college hacker’s dorm room; and The Antidote, a laboratory-themed room requiring players to retrieve an antidote from a safe. The three very different themes will allow for repeat visits from customers, with the average one-hour game costing $28 per person.

“It’s a newer concept for entertainment centers, and we have an advantage in that we’re able to handle large parties and also offer food and beverages, which a lot of escape rooms don’t have,” says Mohrhardt.

The owners also filed plans with the city last week for an expansion that will double the capacity of Pangea’s Pizza Pub downtown from 100 to 200 guests. Mohrhardt hopes to break ground in the next 30-60 days on the project, which will include a new upper-level rooftop deck extending the entire length of the building from Front Street to the back of the property overlooking the Boardman River. The owners are also adding 800-900 square feet of new space on the main level, expanding the restaurant’s kitchen and bathrooms, and adding lower level space on the building’s riverside for a future as-yet-undetermined tenant. Mohrhardt says the expansion will boost Pangea’s staff numbers from 45 to almost 70 in the summer, with the project set to be finished by the start of the summer 2018 season.

Third Coast Bakery
After four years as a production bakery selling goods to more than 30 retail locations and online out of a licensed commercial kitchen in Suttons Bay, Third Coast Bakery is set to open its first brick-and-mortar retail location in Traverse City.

According to owner Heather Burson, Third Coast Bakery is constructing a new home at 523 Munson Avenue across from Munson Community Health Center. The outlet will be “northern Michigan’s first and only full-service, gluten-free, vegan and allergen-friendly bakery,” according to Burson. “The storefront will offer customers comfortable seating with a fireplace, a full line of allergen-free baked goods, and a cutting-edge menu of allergen-free coffee drinks in a 100 percent gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free environment. The space will also include a custom cake consultation room and will continue to house Third Coast’s wholesale production kitchen.”

Third Coast Bakery has launched a Kickstarter page offering customers special perks and benefits for financially supporting the bakery’s expansion. Burson says the new brick-and-mortar location will open in spring 2018.

Other openings and closings…
Planetary Coffee, Traverse City’s first “coffee truck,” has launched a new coffee lounge inside State Street Marketplace across from the Park Place Hotel. The brick-and-mortar location will offer amenities not available through the truck, including a full-service espresso bar, locally sourced baked goods, and seating options, according to owners Emily Wilensky and Erik Harms. “Our plan was always to establish the mobile concept and then grow into a brick-and-mortar operation,” says Wilensky.

Grand Traverse Bay Gymnastics has relocated from Woodmere Avenue to the former MC Sports space on South Airport Road. Tom and Betsy Van Deinse moved their operations to the much larger space earlier this fall, allowing for expanded services and parking. The company provides both recreational classes and competitive training for gymnasts as young as one up through level 10.

Leelanau Pie & Pastry has closed its doors at 41 North Eagle Highway in Lake Leelanau. The company, which sold pies, cinnamon rolls, croissants, bread, scones and cookies, originally posted on its Facebook page in October that the bakery was closing for the season. Earlier this month, the owners listed the bakery’s equipment for sale and said the shop would not reopen. “We are officially closed…we do not plan to reopen in 2018,” the company posted. “We thank everyone for their business. It was a great run.”

Finally, a new candle company producing locally made candles has opened in the region. Traverse City Candle Company makes 100 percent soy wax candles in scents inspired by the “landscapes and people of Traverse City,” including Christmas Tree Farm, Fireside Flicker, Morning Coffee and Saturday Cinnamon Rolls. The company plans to release four new scents each season in 2018. Traverse City Candle Company’s products can be purchased at Mundos Roasting & Co. on Boon Street or online.