The Review

Issue date: 5/15/07 Section: Mosaic

Media Credit: Courtesy of Corwin Wickersham [Click to enlarge]

Soft carpets, granite countertops, high ceilings, the smell of fresh flowers and a friendly "Hey, how are you doing?" greet visitors, not at the local four-star hotel, but the local gym - Fitness Fusion Center.

Nic DeCaire, founder and owner of the nearly 15-month-old establishment, and two friends built the gym with their own hands, only calling in subcontractors to do tasks such as plumbing and electricity.

DeCaire renovated the "mess," as he refers to it, that he purchased to create a fitness establishment geared toward modern style, breathable workout space and a friendly atmosphere. He says, for example, the glass store-front windows used to be ragged garage doors and the carpets make the gym feel more "homey."

"It doesn't feel like a rough gym," DeCaire says. "I wanted a warehouse look with all the modern updates - high ceilings, our ventilation is showing and there are high ceiling fans. It's the warehouse look, but it's still nice. Everything feels modern. It's the best of both worlds."

The sparkling, spotless bathrooms feature tasteful paintings on the wall, granite countertops, pink and yellow flowers, mirrors bordered by a floral design and elegant blue and brown shower curtains. DeCaire humbly admits he's not the sole designer behind the artistry - his mother and girlfriend gave a him a few tips.

Freshman Ian Booz, a six-month member of the gym, names Fusion's lack of crowds and cleanliness as its best attributes, calling the gym "his style."

"I feel like I'm not going to contract an illness when I come to Fusion," Booz says.

DeCaire chuckles on the machine next to him and says, "Nope. You won't find dirt here."

Beyond the gym's cleanliness, DeCaire says one of his main goals is to give back to the community whenevery possible. He does so with events such as this month's cancer T-shirt fund-raiser in which the gym redesigned its logo, changing the red dot "o" to a pink cancer ribbon. For every benefit T-shirt sold, Fusion donates $5 to the Wellness Community.

"If you can't give back to the community then there's no point in being here," DeCaire says.

Although Fusion Fitness Center may be young, uncrowded and rather unknown - located off the beaten track at the top of Main Street and behind East End Café - its popularity is obviously growing. The feat can be attributed to consistent press coverage and the center's top trainer, Jud Dean, who became the Delaware representative to Cosmopolitan's "50 Hottest Bachelors" competition. Students and Newark residents are attracted to the professionalism and relaxed friendliness Fusion has to offer its clients.

"We may not be the most popular gym in Delaware, but we are the most-talked-about gym in Delaware," DeCaire says.

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