Open for Business

Brian Sestak opened a Snap Fitness franchise Oct. 6 at 3659 E. Sunshine St. in Eastgate Plaza. The fitness club has two unique aspects: Employees are not always present, but members have access to the club 24 hours a day via an electronic key; and memberships are month-to-month. Single memberships are $34.95 a month, and family memberships are $49.95 a month. Snap Fitness has about 40 pieces of exercise equipment, including free weights and cardio theater, in 3,400 square feet of space. Sestak said he purchased the rights to two more franchise locations in Springfield and plans to open them in 2008. Those locations are set for the southwest and northwest parts of town, he said. Chanhassen, Minn.-based Snap Fitness was established in 2003 and has more than 330 locations in more than 40 states, according to its Web site, www.snapfitness.com. Phone: (417) 889-7627.

Oogles n Googles

Cari Oughton, Linda Oughton and Heather Gripka opened an Oogles n Googles franchise on Aug. 25 at 2121 W. Republic Road, Ste. B, in Republic Plaza. Oogles n Googles is a children’s birthday party business. For $330, Oogles n Googles will provide invitations, a two-hour party with activities for as many as 12 children, and thank-you cards. The birthday parties come in 14 themes and target children ages 3 to 10, according to Cari Oughton, who is a franchisee, along with her mother-in-law, Linda Oughton, and sister-in-law, Gripka. Indianapolis-based Oogles n Googles has about 35 locations, according to its Web site, www.ooglesngoogles.com. Hours are by appointment. Phone: (417) 887-8744.

California Closets

Ken Cook consolidated his two California Closets locations Oct. 15 into one store at 1208 Eaglecrest Drive, Ste. A, in Nixa. California Closets designs, sells and installs custom-designed storage solutions, with an emphasis on storage of clothes closets, pantries and garages, according to Cook, who has been a franchisee since 2004. Cook previously had an 1,800-square-foot showroom off Glenstone Avenue in the Brentwood Center and a 1,600-square-foot manufacturing facility on South Union Avenue, both in Springfield. He now has both his showroom and manufacturing facility under one 4,000-square-foot roof. San Rafael, Calif.-based California Closets, founded in 1978, has about 160 franchised locations nationally, according to Cook. Hours: 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Monday through Friday, or by appointment. Phone: (417) 724-0770.

Reporter Cory Smith brings you new businesses each week. He may be reached by e-mail at csmith@sbj.net, by fax at (417) 799-0603 or by phone at (417) 616-5854.