DIXON, CA (MPG) - 30 years ago, a women’s workout studio in Texas opened and soon after franchising, a wave of them flooded across the world as busy women realized the circuit of hydraulic resistance machines gave them a great workout in less time than it takes to do a load of laundry.

One of those locations opened in Dixon in 2002 and just a few years later, Cher Besneatte and Dorothy Luedke teamed up to take it over and thousands of Dixon women have walked through their doors since.

“Helping women with their health and fitness is the most rewarding,” said Besneatte. “When they come in with a cane or walker and a month or two later, they come in without them, that’s very gratifying.” Both her and Luedke regularly see this.

“What is most meaningful to me is supporting them emotionally,” said Luedke. “They cannot get that anywhere else.” The business partners have been through two changes in location—first from the Safeway Shopping Plaza to North Lincoln. But when KUIU wanted to expand their location, they moved again"'but like their new location at 1145 Pitt School Road, suite #F because it’s closer in town.

“It was a lot of work to relocate here,” Besneatte added that both her husband and her son-in-law moved walls and painted, and they all worked to remove the scent of a restaurant that had been in there. It was well worth it, though, and the work-out circuit is much larger now with separate rooms in the back for the Jenny Craig consults.  

They have outlasted a long recession, and lots of changes within the larger company including the partnering (and then un-partnering) with Jenny Craig and now a pandemic, but the membership has remained constant, said Besneatte.

“Women need this,” she said. “You don’t have to change weights or figure out what to do. The machines are designed specifically for women and deliver the equivalent of a 90-minute workout in just 30 minutes. On most mornings and afternoons, a steady stream of women come to work out.

“I’ve been coming since they first opened in 2002,” said member Kitty Lockwood. “It’s a nice exercise program I feel I can do, and I like that I know how much time it’s going to take. It works for muscle toning and cardiac. I lost 30 to 35 pounds this past year doing Jenny Craig and Curves! My 77^th birthday is this week,” she said proudly.

“As a woman’s strength improves and she is able to push harder against the machines, the machines respond with more resistance, continually challenging the body,” explained Luedke. Curves leveraged this same science when they created MyCurves On Demand, the Curves at-home workout solution.

On days when the members can’t get to the gym, they can use a high-quality resistance band at home to work through a series of exercises, guided by videos and virtual coaching. 

“It’s the best of both worlds, even when our ability and willingness to venture out in public is challenged,” Luedke added.

The business has been a family affair for her as her two daughters worked for them after graduation and it was a good experience.

“They know that they can do it,” she said. Luedke has served as Soroptimist President and Besneatte served as the Dixon Chamber president, both during their business ownership. “They have seen that they can be a mom and work [outside the home.] They were about sixth graders when we bought it and I think it helped keep the girls athletic,” Luedke added.

Now, the women have new goals. They want to retire and are looking for a new owner. 

“We’re selling the Curves franchise,” announced Besneattte. “I’m 68, have two grandbabies, and Dorothy’s husband passed three years ago so she’s ready to move on. We’re hoping someone local keeps it open so we can work out here.” The women are considering keeping the Jenny Craig business, now a separate entity, and working a couple days a week in the back offices"'that would also help provide business support for the new owner, they say.

To learn more about Curves or Jenny Craig, call (707) 678-4200 or [email protected] or visit www.Curves.com.