Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Hendrickson.
Mike, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Destination Fitness started over 10 years ago! we began our journey doing personal training and group fitness classes. Since then, we have added buddy and small group personal training, team strength and agility training, a 24/7 workout facility, a building with 6 treatment rooms (massage therapy, physical therapy, esthetician services, etc), a nutritionist that offers free consults, and a shake shop that is coming soon! We still offer individualized personal training and group fitness classes but have expanded our services to meet the needs of the community.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Getting to where we are today has had its challenges. We needed a building to personally train as we couldn’t afford one on our own. Thankfully , we were able to partner with the DECC to offer services to the city as well as to our own clients as well. As we grew, the need for a larger space became apparent. We moved our family and our business to Rice Lake – just outside Duluth. We had to renovate a pole building and bring in a LOT of equipment but have made this space work since 2016. COVID was a huge challenge for us as we had to shut down and close completely for many months. When we could reopen, we could only do so at 25% capacity. This was a very stressful time and we feel so fortunate many of our clients/members stuck with us during this difficult time. We came out of COVID and have since opened up our new facility in December of 2024. It has been an enormous amount of work as we’ve had to learn new businesses and get licensing for different aspects of our facility as the services we offer have grown.
As you know, we’re big fans of Destination Fitness. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Destination Fitness is a fitness facility located in Rice Lake just outside Duluth. We specialize in personal training and small group fitness classes. Just recently, we expanded and now offer a 24/7 gym, esthetician services, massage therapy, physical therapy, nutrition counseling and speed, strength and agility training for high school athletes. Coming this fall, we will have a protein shake shop offering many varieties of protein shakes and energy infused teas!
Our facility is brand new!!! everything is clean and our 11,000 square foot building allows many options for you to get your workout in without waiting for others.
One of the most unique things about our facility is that it is your one stop shop for fitness! You want a workout – done. You need a sauna – done. You need a clean place to change, shower and lock your stuff up – done. You need a sweat towel and a showering towel for after your workout – done. You need to consult a nutritionist about your eating habits – done. You need a personal trainer to help you achieve your goals – done. You need classes to keep you accountable and empowered – done. You need a massage to help your muscles recover – done. You need a physical therapist to help cure that nagging injury – done. You need an esthetician to help enhance your features – done. You want to do aerial classes – done. You need middle school girls training – done. You need a protein shake or energy tea to help you feel fueled and energized for your day – done (soon)!
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The biggest lesson is to not quit. Failing isn’t hitting a road block or getting knocked down – those are just parts of the journey. Keep moving forward.
Also – so many people say “no” to things. When we’ve seen a need, we’ve said yes.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Destinationfitnessmn.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desfitduluth/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063598091394
