Head Over Heels heads to old car dealership
Laura Peters, Published 9:46 a.m. ET Nov. 5, 2017 | Updated 10:05 a.m. ET Nov. 5, 2017
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(Photo: Laura Peters/The News Leader)
STAUNTON - Shanda Hansen walks into the large bays of the former Elliott Auto building with her daughter, Gabby.
Gabby, 11, is ready to go and can't wait to explore the new space, while her mother is in awe.
"We've got a very excited girl here to be back," Shanda Hansen said.
For Head Over Heels Gymnastics the move to another building just a quarter mile down the road on Greenville Avenue was a no-brainer. The gymnastics studio had called the Staunton Mall its home for nearly a decade.
It's also in a space that former owner Stacey DeHaven would have loved. DeHaven passed away last year, so the move is meaningful to many of the members.
"She would have loved this," Shanda Hansen said, with tears in her eyes and a huge smile on her face.
The move meant the gym closed for the month of October, when certain permits were being acquired and renovations happened. The old car dealership, which closed in 2016, went up for lease earlier this year after two failed attempts at auctioning off the property.
The studio previously had seen several different spots in the mall, but none really fit what they needed and according to owner Phillip Kauffman. The conditions of the mall were ultimately the reason they moved, he said.
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Phillip Kauffman, owner of Head Over Heels Gymnastics.(Photo: Laura Peters/The News Leader)
Kauffman said they were spending more money replacing equipment due to constant leaking of the mall's roof. So, they picked up and moved down Greenville Avenue into the former Elliott Auto Group's building, which previously housed the Chevrolet and Cadillac dealerships.
"I think it's kind of cool," he said.
Most recently, two other tenants in the mall are looking to move into the dealership alongside the gymnastics studio. Last week, CrossFit Staunton and Staunton Health and Fitness announced they are looking to leave the mall at year's end to relocate.The Staunton Mall has still not commented on news of tenants moving out and the conditions of the mall.
The new space gives them an extra 2,500 square feet, which has enabled them to have the separate spaces for the uneven bars, spring floor, beam and vault. There's even a separate room for the younger preschool aged children to be in — allowing for them to still participate in classes, but to be in a safer, secluded area. Kauffman said they are currently working up a parents area, which will give a screen to allow them to watch their children practice, without getting in the way of those at the gym.
The gym has 260 people enrolled.
"They're just excited about the new space and how open it is," Kauffman said. "It looks more like a gym than an olddepartment store."
Last year the gym hit some rough timesand it wasn't clear if the gym would continue. It's been over a year since Kauffman's wife, Stacey DeHaven lost her life in a car crash.
Kauffman was left with a decision — keep the business going or close up shop.His mission in last year becamekeepingthe gym operating.He knew his wife would want that, so he and the rest of the staff at Head over Heels kept moving forward.
DeHaven purchased the gym in 2010 when she was a senior at Bridgewater College. At the time there were just 40 students. Because of the work DeHaven put into the gym, enrollment grew. Kauffman wasn't involved in the gymnastics world, he did the heavy lifting and the fixing of equipment.
"I would have never imagined myself in this situation in a million years," he said. "It was my wife's passion, which is why we're still going with it and I've grown to be more passionate about it. That's kind of my thing. She always wanted to grow it. With each step forward, especially a larger more reputable place, makes a difference."
It's a bigger, safer area and Kauffman said it's only up from here.
"We're definitely growing in a good way," he said."I think that a lot of good things will come because we've got the extra room," he said.
For more information visit its Facebook page at Head Over Heels Gymor at HeadOverHeelsGymVa.com. The new gym is located at 1100 Greenville Avenue in Staunton.