PRESCOTT HEALTH AND FITNESS CENTER.

Owner: Chad Cornelius

Address: 122 E. Elm St., Prescott 71857

Phone: [phone]

Office Hours: Monday-Saturday 6 a.m.- 10 p.m., Sunday 2-8 p.m.

Start-up: Jan: 10

Chad Cornelius, after years of driving to Hope to a fitness training center, decided the time was right to open one in his hometown.

"I'm into fitness and Hope is the closest place that had a fitness center. There is an abundance of people into fitness training. But it inconvenient to have to drive 35 miles and back. I thought it would. work here," Cornelius says.

So Cornelius, 30, who also owns the Nevada County Ambulance Service, found a 6,000-SF site and filled it with the latest workout equipment.

He currently has six employees but hopes to double that in a year. He also has his eye on a 3,500-SF room adjacent to his current facility to add aerobics, cardio-boxing and other exercise classes.

At his present site, he also has tanning beds and some athletic apparel to fit the needs of those into fitness training.

All of his personnel will be certified shortly as personal trainers to help people one-on-one with toning, bodybuilding or weight-loss programs.

As the only fitness center in Nevada County, Cornelius says his place of business has been highly successful, attracting a wide variety of folks, from teens to geriatrics.