Jay Kelly and Bryan Gabriel, both members of Mount Si’s 2002 graduating class, aren’t satisfied with co-owning a successful upscale gym and separate tanning salon on Snoqualmie Ridge in their mid-twenties. The Valley natives said they won’t be happy until they’ve opened up a large athletic club where youths can practice sports and get off the streets.

“It’s a small town; there’s not much to do. It rains eight months out of the year,” Gabriel said. “Our goal is to turn this into a big club with pools and sports courts for kids and for sporting events.”

Current facility

The vibe at Snoqualmie Ridge Athletic Club, which will celebrate its one-year anniversary on March 8, is “different from your industrial, concrete-wall gym,” said general manager Tony Baldwin, pointing to huge windows and flat-screen TVs on the walls. A fireplace in the lobby welcomes members, and the environment throughout the gym is modern and cozy.

“We want you to feel comfortable when you go into the locker rooms, feel like you’re at home, as much as it can be,” Gabriel said.

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