Matty Villeneuve, the owner of Monarch Fitness in Brinston is very happy to be living, raising her family, and giving back to the area in which she grew up. Tinkess Photo
BRINSTON – Matraca (Matty) Villeneuve, the owner of Monarch Fitness is proof that you don’t have to move away from home to build a business. You can be successful right in the area where you grew up.
Monarch Fitness is in the community of Brinston, 4147 Brinston Road to be exact. Her fitness studio is located in the recently renovated Whitteker Storage Building. Good timing and networking are as good an explanation as any for how Villeneuve and Monarch Fitness became a part of a small business “hub” that has grown out of a multi-generational family business.
“Curtis Whitteker and his wife Sarah were clients of mine,” says Villeneuve, “They came to my fit class, and I went to their home to do personal training as well. Curtis was renovating his shop and they mentioned that they would have some extra space if I was interested in renting it out.”
Villeneuve took them up on their offer, and the rest, as they say, is history. Some might question the ability to open a new business on the heels of a world-wide pandemic, but it seems to have worked out just fine.
“It was a little bit nerve-wracking opening a business in the midst of all that,” says Villeneuve, “but at the same time we seem to be coming out the other side now. Everybody is very eager to get back to the gym.”
With a background in fitness, Villeneuve is confident she can provide the level of service her clients require. She says her ideal client is pretty much just the average person, someone wanting to look good and move well.
“If there is someone who has real difficulties with mobility or many injuries, I would recommend personal training, which I do offer,” says Villeneuve. “The main business is the group classes which are geared to those who can perform some basic movements. If even squatting is very difficult, then I would recommend personal training.”
It is encouraging to know that beyond those restrictions it becomes a matter of as long as you can move, you can improve.
“I have clients of all abilities and ages. My youngest client is probably in their late 20s and it goes right on up to their late 70s.”
Monarch Fitness has a variety of fitness options available from Monday through Saturday each week.
They are open Monday through Friday 6:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
On Monday through Wednesday evenings, they are open from 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
On Thursday they offer two classes between 6:40 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., and on Saturday mornings they have a class between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.
The various fitness classes offered can be found on their website (monarchfitness.ca).
Villeneuve is pleased with how things have developed so far and looks forward to being a part of the local business community. It’s nice to be able to build a business where you live and not have to go away to do so. “I moved away to Ottawa when I was 18 for about six months and I dreaded it, so I moved back pretty quickly she says.
“I was born and raised in Morrisburg, lived here all my life and now I’m raising my family here, which is nice. Having a business here and being able to give back to the community that I grew up in, I’m very excited about that.”
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