March 28, 2024

Adjusting to a new routine

Cari and Mindy Stalker start looking for new owner as they shift focus from business to families

Any good workout routine requires a few changes.

Curves co-owners Cari and Mindy Stalker are working on a game plan to find a new owner for Curves and their tanning business.

“We would love somebody that will be as passionate as we were when we first started,” Cari said. “This is a great place, this is a great business, we are just on to our next chapter.”

Kari and Mindy’s quickly growing families have shifted their focus for what is best to keep their businesses growing in uptown Creston.

“When we started, we didn’t have any employees, we worked all the hours,” Mindy said. “After we each got married, we had established our business. Then we started having kids and that changed the dynamic of our business and our availability.”

Cari and her husband Todd have three children, Charlie, 3, Sam, 2, and Hadley, 1. They are expecting their fourth child in June.

Mindy and her husband T.J. have two children, C.T., 7, and Marlee, 5.

New home

Curves started in Creston in 1999 and the late Tim Stalker bought the business in 2000.

When his future daughter-in-law Kari moved to Creston in 2005, she took over the management responsibilities of Curves. Mindy moved to Creston later that year.

Cari and Mindy became the owners and operators of Curves in 2006.

“It was a fantastic way for us to meet a large part of the community,” Mindy said. “We love the service-type atmosphere that Curves provides.”

As the only two employees when they took ownership, the new sisters-in-law split the duties as new business owners. Their husbands, Todd and T.J., were also busy working together as co-owners of Stalker Chevrolet.

“We are both active people and (Curves) interested both of us,” Mindy said.

Improvements

Over their nine years in business together, Cari and Mindy have added several improvements to Curves and the tanning business.

They reached a peak of 260 memberships and helped bring in a new fitness program with Jillian Michaels and SMART equipment technology.

“SMART is like a personal trainer telling you to go harder and faster,” Cari said. “When you are done with your workout, you put your key tag in the computer and it tells you how many calories you burned and what muscle groups you worked.”

Mindy added that the Curves franchise is constantly researching new fitness programs to help their members through resources at Texas A&M University and the Cleveland Clinic.

To compliment the Jillian Michaels workouts, Curves has added balance and core strengthening routines.

“We bought it as a partnership and we feel it worked really well as the two of us,” Mindy said. “So if we were going to be done ... it was not something either of us wanted to do independently.”

If you are interested in learning more about the businesses, contact Cari or Mindy at Curves, 782-8796.