Village, town and county officials gathered at Pivot Gym on Monday, Jan. 5, to lift up a new business in Mineola.
Josh Jefferson, 28, from Lindenhurst, cut the ribbon at his new business, Pivot Gym, at 465 Jericho Turnpike. Members of the local governments were present to welcome him to the community and share in the celebration.
“This is the accumulation of pretty much my life,” said Jefferson. “I’m going to be here 24/7, this is my home.”
A former Division One linebacker at Bryant University, Jefferson used to own Ultimate Gym in Hicksville, which put him on track to owning Pivot in Mineola. He said the people in a gym community are what make a place special.
He chose his dog, Delilah, as the logo.
“She’s the big dog, watching over, trying to make sure it’s a good experience,” he said.
“I think the support in the village is phenomenal, we’re very happy to be here,” said Latonya Jeffeson, Josh’s mom. “I think this is the right place for him, and I think he’s going to do well.”
Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer Desena joined the ribbon-cutting.
“It’s great to see people of all ages here,” she said. “It’s good that they have loyal customers, and this is a great spot on Jericho Turnpike. They’re going to have so much business here in Mineola.” She said having people move into new apartment buildings will be great for local businesses.
“It’s phenomenal that he selected Mineola,” said County Legislator Scott Strauss. “To move here and start from scratch is a tremendous, gutsy move. We’ve got to make him successful… I wish him the best of luck.”
Mineola officials also joined the celebration, with members of the Board of Trustees and Chamber of Commerce in attendance.
“It’s amazing, the machinery and the talent here,” said Trustee Donna Solosky. “This type of business coming in only promotes Mineola. Good health, good nutrition, you can’t ask for anything else.”
“We’re a strong community,” said Deputy Mayor Janine Sartori. “It’s wonderful for the village, we always have room for new business.”
