Today we’d like to introduce you to Inez Escamilla
Inez, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve always loved being active but in my mid-twenties found the gym as a form of therapy. Through a mutual friend, I met Marc Fraiser, former owner of South Congress Athletic Club. He and I began a trade that lasted for a few years where he could use my welding shop and I could use his gym. He taught me so much about the mechanics of my body and helped me improve my strength and well being since my body was worked so hard as a welder. In 2013 I heard his gym was closing. It had been such an important part of my life, a home and a safe haven, that I wanted to see what I could do to keep it open. I found an investor, purchase the assets, and founded Ignite Fitnez by March of 2014. I spent the first three months working every night while the gym was closed to remodel the facility, build new equipment and programs so that we would lose as few members as possible during the transition while still running my welding business during the day and running my new fitness facility. It was a rough three months of almost no sleep, but I enjoyed every moment of it. Within the first year, we double our membership and were starting to make a name for ourselves in the community. Year two came, and it was a blast. We were growing and finally making some profit. That’s when I got the notice from our landlords we had to leave because they were leveling our building for new mixed-use development. It was heartbreaking, but I choose to fight and find another location. The third-year was difficult. As all the businesses around us were closing and construction began taking place, our membership was dropping drastically. I was searching for a new location but finding a space for a gym was much more difficult than a retail facility. I finally found new complex south of Ben White but less than three miles from our SoCo home. Thanks to my design background in college and my welding business, I was able to design and partially build the second Ignite Fitnez from the ground up. It was incredible! So much natural light, a new facility and I designed and built my dream gym, an adult playground. We were off the beaten path at our new location, but slowly Austin was developing out towards our new location on East Saint Elmo. The fourth year, first at the new location, was slow.
We lost 100 members with our three mile move but I had hope that we would grow. People loved the new facility, staff and we were finally growing again. Our fifth year in business was incredible. We had so many fun events, great trainers, staff and members. The energy was great, and business was finally profitable again. Then we got hit with another huge obstacle. New landlords came in from New York and bought our complex. They immediately came in and double our rent. We had signed a ten year lease with the understanding that we’d be paying a certain amount and built our projections off that. To get hit with a 100% increase was disastrous, heartbreaking, and extremely frustrating. I spent the next year trying to recover while at the same time getting blessed with my first child, my son Jace. To say the least, it was an emotional year. I did all I could do to grow the business to meet the demands of our new greedy, NY landlords. When COVID hit and we were forced to close, the landlords did nothing to help us. In three months, we were shut, we accumulated a $120K debt that there was no way to pay back. We were forced to close our doors and sell all our assets at the end of June. During my six years in business serving the Austin community, I met some incredible people, helped thousands improve their mental and physical health, and employed hundreds. I laughed, cried, and learned so much that I’ll carry with me and transfers to my welding business, Loose Cannon Industries. I’m thankful for every experience I had starting, building, running, and closing Ignite.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Ha! It’s been anything but smooth, but it’s made me stronger.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We were a neighborhood gym that served the South Austin community. We focused on functional strength through free weights, group classes, and martial arts.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
These days they can work/ collaborate with me through my welding company, Loose Cannon Industries. We’ve been servicing The Greater Austin community since 2007. www.LooseCannonATX.com.
Contact Info:
- Email: Inez@LooseCannonATX.com
- Website: www.LooseCannonATX.com
- Instagram: @loosecannonatx
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loosecannonindustries/
Image Credits
George Schemagin & Jessica Mims (studio shot)
