Business Notebook: Small Business Arrivals and a Convenient Reopening

A handful of recent small business changes have taken place in Three Village. Following the late in 2010, some old faces have now been replaced by newer ones.

Futon Store Closes, New Fitness Center Moves In

CrossFit Stony Brook, the new gym which replaced Stony Brook & Setauket Futon at 22 Woods Corner Road in Setauket, is the most recent affiliate in an international chain of fitness centers; it opened Jan. 8. According to owner and personal trainer Mike DeNicola, “We follow the CrossFit style, but we are an independent gym.”

The CrossFit method of training, he said, “is workouts that mimic the movements you do in everyday life—get up, sit down, squat, lift things in front of you, over your head. Our main goal is not so much to make you look better—though you will—but to improve your health. It’s functional fitness.”

DeNicola got a lot of “functional fitness” as a Marine reservist from 1998 to 2004, serving six months at the very beginning of the United States' invasion of Iraq. Looking back on it, he said, “The beginning of the war was different than years later. They were glad to see us there. You had the feeling you were helping those people.”

The 1,500-square-foot gym provides supervised classes that constantly change. DeNicola, along with Sean Queller, take their members through such basics as cardio, rowing, pull-ups, push-ups, and weights.

“It’s basically not the type of gym that you just walk into and get into your own exercise regimen," DeNicola said. "We’re offering people a structure to workouts that will lead to successful conclusions.”

He added that one of the most important things he offers his female clients is weight training. “Women are afraid of putting on muscle, but they need to lift weights to increase bone density, which decreases with age,” he said.

DeNicola believes the structured drive of the workouts CrossFit offers will offset the negatives of a sluggish economy – the reason the previous tenant closed his business, DeNicola said – and the competition of other nearby gyms. CrossFit is the second new gym to open in the Three Village area this month; in East Setauket also recently opened its doors.

CrossFit offers a free introductory class and offers either single classes, a ten-card class package, or unlimited classes. It currently has limited hours: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday; and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. CrossFit Stony Brook can be reached at 631-572-8255.

Port Jefferson Barbershop Expands to Stony Brook

The Men’s Room in Stony Brook is the new incarnation of The Village Barber, which had been cutting hair at the Stony Brook Village Center since 1987. The Men's Room opened a month ago, and owner James Lagala hopes to duplicate his success of his original Men’s Room on Main Street in Port Jefferson. He will be dividing his time between both shops.

“This is an old school barber shop,” he said. “Haircuts, shaves, hot towels.”

Men’s haircuts are $15, but The Men’s Room is not for men alone. Women's cuts start at $20. A regular customer at the Port Jefferson location commented on the web, “Despite the name of the place, no misogynist chitchat here—female friendly.”

Lagala, originally from Rocky Point, said his interest in barbering goes way back. He learned his craft at the Atlas Barber School in Manhattan.

The Men’s Room prides itself on using top hair care products, such as Paul Mitchell, Bed Head and American Crew.

The Men’s Room’s hours at Stony Brook are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. The shop can be reached at 631-751-4440, and takes both appointments and walk-ins.

Conveniently Now Open

The Stony Brook Village Center also announced the reopening of the convenience store at the Village Green Service Station on Main Street, inviting shoppers to stop by for candy, soda, lottery tickets and more on its Facebook page on Jan. 11. Though the shop's management declined to discuss the details, one employee said the closure of the convenience store was related to recent tank renovations at the shop.