This is an interview with Maria Omstead, owner of Your Figure, Butler's largest women-only fitness center.

Interviewer:A two-part question, if you don't mind. With all the gyms in Butler, why did you decide to open another one, and what makes your gym unique?

Maria:I guess you could say I found the women's gyms lacking. Don't get me wrong they are nice, but they seemed cramped. Limited area to work out or expand, and very limited parking. What makes us unique? Well first, as you see, we have over 5,000 square feet of space here. Outside there are over 50 parking spots just for us. We are physically able to expand our gym to meet our member's needs and wants.

Interviewer:You mentioned expanding to your member's needs and wants, could you give us an example?

Maria:As we were building our club, many potential members stopped in and asked if we were going to offer baby-sitting. In fact, so many potential customers asked for it that we decided it was the right thing to do. There are a lot of women out there who would like to have the convenience of on-site supervised baby-sitting.

Interviewer:Was this a spur of the moment venture or have you been planning it for a while?

Maria:My family has always been involved in the fitness industry. My parents ran the "Body Builders club" in Kissimmee, Fla., and I spent years there with them. My father was a competitive body builder. He placed first in a Mr. Florida contest in the early 1980s, and my husband was a competitive power-lifter when he worked for the state of Florida. I am certified by the International Fitness Leaders Alliance as an instructor and a member of The Association of Hydraulic & Fitness clubs.

Interviewer:Last question. If I were a perspective member, why should I choose you over any other club?

Maria:I think a lot of times the gym sells itself when prospective members come here and the first thing they say is, 'Wow, its huge.' After that they usually get excited about the tanning, the treadmills, elliptical trainer, stationary bikes, and stretching area. We have three private changing rooms and a full service juice bar. Not to mention the spacious supervised baby-sitting area, and tons of parking. If that does not get them excited, wait till they meet my mom, Cathy. She is so friendly, like all our staff, but my mom is really awesome. She can make anybody laugh, and she gets out there with them all day long. I guess it's hard to explain the environment here until you see it for yourself. It's just too much fun. In fact, for anyone who reads this article and comes into the gym, I will give them a free week to see how much fun it really is.

Interviewer:As I sat with Maria there was a constant stream of members coming in and out. It's more like a friend's house with fitness equipment than a gym. Free coffee, comfy couches and chairs. You really have to see it to believe it.