'Little Gym' Hopes for August Launch in Ellisville

Little Gym is making a comeback, but with a new location and a new leader at the helm.

No, it's not the dethroning of 'Big Jim' as described by Jim Croce. It's the return of a franchise to the Ballwin-Ellisville area that follows the recent .

With locations nationwide including gyms in Fenton, St. Peters and Creve Coeur as well as locations abroad, the company has enjoyed professional success by catering to children's exercise with an emphasis on gymnastics, depending on the age group.

Owner Joel Johnson of St. Louis said he first learned of the Little Gym through his wife, Leslie, who once worked at a corporately owned location in Kent, Washington.

“And as a parent, I got to see it because our child was in one, and I logged it in my memory bank and thought if we had the opportunity to own one, we would and that's what we did.”

Johnson said he had the opportunity to meet Mark Landis, the owner of the Little Gym of Ballwin, before the operation there closed in April.

“We spent a little time in his gym just sponging and watching and observing,” Johnson said. 

Although part of the same franchise, Johnson said the Ellisville location will be independently owned and operated.

With the Little Gym of Ballwin having served about 700 kids before it closed, Johnson said, he'd like to see at least half those children make the leap to the new location.

“We obviously have reached out to those members and will continue to do so for the next couple of weeks, just to kind of introduce ourselves.”

Moving westward, the Little Gym of Ellisville is unofficially scheduled to open around August 22 at the Appletree Square plaza at 15825 Manchester Road.