Tag Archives: Ivan Black

Love on a Bun: At Queen’s, the barbecue is tender. So are the people.

Anya & Titus Queen

“Hey!” “Are you OK?”

Titus Queen looks out of the plate-glass window of his super-snug restaurant and spies one of the 3rd Street regulars passing on by. Something didn’t look quite right to him.

He darts outside. The man said he was fine, but Titus wanted to be sure. He comes back and turns the lock on the door.

“It’s all right,” he says to Anya, his wife and business partner.

As I sat for an hour with the owners of Queen’s BBQ and Southern Cuisine, I was reminded of my own Italian household when I was growing up—you just never know who’s going to show up.

A cousin drops by. A close friend comes in, hands Anya a gift, then helps out taking orders. People tap on the window and wave.

And then there are the customers, who, for now, in these pandemic times, are relegated to calling ahead and picking up their heaps of pulled pork, brisket, collards and mac and cheese curbside.

“We definitely miss not being able to interact with people like we want,” Anya said. “That’s been the most difficult thing.”

But, in truth, there have been many difficult things in the short history of Queen’s.

Landlord issues delayed the opening for over a year, relegating the couple to working at the now-closed Subway franchise a few doors down until that was cleared up. Then COVID hit, forcing them to shut down quickly in March, just a month after officially opening.

They cautiously opened back up in April and have been gradually adding days and hours since. But you still can’t just walk in. There’s simply no room in the tiny waiting area for anyone to socially distance.

“We’re not going to open up our lobby until they figure out COVID because we don’t want to put anybody at risk,” Anya said.

Another big challenge is what’s across the street—or what isn’t.

Queen’s sits within a block or two of where thousands of state workers should be every day—the Capitol Complex, the PA Liquor Control Board, the State Museum, etc. Those buildings remain largely empty.

Titus and Anya are very open about their uphill battle, but believe that their tasty southern fare and the support of the community will see them through. They point to their strong marks on several food rating sites and their network of friends, family and just hungry fans.

“The community has been very supportive,” Anya said.

One of those customers is Harrisburg’s chief executive.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse has become a regular, especially of the pulled pork sandwich (“every bite melts in your mouth”), which he orders with coleslaw, and a side of macaroni and cheese (“creamy and satisfying”).

“Queen’s BBQ is an exceptional addition to the culinary scene in Harrisburg,” Papenfuse said. “I’m proud to support this small business and recommend it to everyone.”

Ivan Black, owner of Next Step Performance, a gym located at the 1500 Condominium, is another big fan. He said that he orders at least weekly, recently phoning in for a rack of ribs and a side of collard greens. For Black, patronizing Queen’s is “killing two birds with one stone”—you get great food and great people.

“They’re fantastic,” he said. “They do such a great job with their food, but you also get to support a business that you’d like to see make it when this whole (pandemic) thing is over.”

And that’s exactly where Titus and Anya Queen are focused, as well. They’re offering the best food and service they can in the hope that, one day, COVID will be history, and they can welcome people back inside to their counter.

Anya only hopes that happens before their new granddaughter gets too big because, if you ask, she’ll smile broadly and excitedly flip through the pictures on her phone to show you.

“Isn’t she the cutest?” Anya said. “She’s always smiling.”

She said that she learned about the intersection of food, family and caring for others from her grandmother, who lived on Allison Hill and insisted on feeding the entire neighborhood.

“She always had food on the stove,” she said. “She always fed people whenever they were hungry.”

For a moment, the couple is able to cast their worries aside and think about a more prosperous future for themselves, their family and their community.

“We try to always be thankful for everything we have,” Titus said. “That’s our slogan.”

Queen’s BBQ & Southern Cuisine is located at 912 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.queensbbqandsoutherncuisine.com or their Facebook page or call 717-526-9998.

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Fit to be Tried: Bigger space, more amenities greet you at Next Step Performance’s new location.

If you’re a beginner gym-goer like me (and even “beginner” is a little far-fetched), it’s easy to be intimidated by Next Step Performance’s new space.

Besides the sight of owner Ivan Black, who seems to be in perfect shape, the new training studio, located in the 1500 Condominiums in Harrisburg, is filled with foreign equipment and weights that look like they could snap my arm in half.

But Black expects exactly that reaction when people first walk in.

It’s then his job to make them feel comfortable regardless of their fitness level—and in spite of the iron, machines and other equipment staring you down as you enter the location on N. 6th Street, directly across the street from where other heavy equipment (cranes, bulldozers, etc.) are erecting the new federal courthouse.

Black makes you feel at ease through his easy manner and infectious smile, as well as the group and individual workout sessions he’s developed that fit a wide range of fitness levels. With the new location, Black expects to help even more people get into shape.

“Inside of one movement, a top-notch athlete and a beginner can both perform them with relative safety, at their own pace, and it can be progressive for both of them,” he said.

Black opened Next Step Performance four years ago because of his love of exercise, movement and health.

“I love fitness for everything that it provides—aesthetic, health under the hood—but also for confidence, self-esteem and psychological maintenance,” he said.

As much as he liked his original location at the corner of N. 3rd and Herr streets, he admits that there were times when he felt claustrophobic because of the snug size. Not only is the new location more spacious for members (especially in a group setting,) but, according to Black, it also helps motivate them.

“It’s not just the added size, but that everything has a place—everything is clean, everything is put together,” he said. “So, there’s inspiration that comes from a space that’s designed with heart. You get here, and you’re like, ‘Woah, OK. It’s time to work out.’”

The new space was originally brought to his attention in March by one of his members. His lease on the 3rd Street building was coming to an end, so he thought, “Why not see if I can move?”

He scoured the city looking for a new place, but didn’t find anything that seemed like a good fit (no parking, too expensive, etc.). He was settling into the idea of staying in his old storefront until a member approached him about the 1500 Condominiums space. He fell in love with it, and, in early August, officially moved in.

Along with a bigger workout room, the new space comes equipped with a shower and two bathrooms. He also has a built-in customer base, literally—building residents living just above him who are eager to train. With more people looking to work out and a space to inspire them, Black is creating a motivational environment for his Next Step community.

Black provides at least two group workout sessions, six days a week. He said that he focuses on group sessions because of their ability to help people motivate and push themselves.

“Working out consistently is a challenge,” he said. “When you’re working out by yourself, for some, that can be pure misery. So, we try to get you into a space where you’re a little more comfortable.”

For those who feel better outside of a group setting and are tired of traditional gyms, Black offers individual and small group training. He also has a seven-day, free trial for people who want to try out the gym without immediate commitment. After that, members pay a monthly subscription that they can cancel at any time.

Right now, Black has nearly 80 members, but he’s always looking for more.

“To be able to have all these tools available and to come up with a unique recipe for the individual to be better out there, for a little guy from Elmont (N.Y.), you feel good about the effect you have on the world, even if it’s a small part,” he said.

Next Step Performance is located at 1500 N. 6th St., Harrisburg. For more information visit nsp.fitness.

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The Week That Was: A summary of news and events around Harrisburg

A scene from this week’s Park Harrisburg Advisory Committee meeting

What happened around Harrisburg over the past week? Here’s a summary of news and events that you may have missed.

Chad McGowan, a Harrisburg police officer, received the Congressional Badge for Bravery in a ceremony in city hall. McGowan was one of only 18 officers honored nationwide this year. Click here for the full story.

Harrisburg plans to apply for a series of state grants that would allow the city make substantial infrastructure and recreation facility improvements. Click here for the full story.

Harrisburg’s Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority unanimously approved the city’s five-year financial plan, bringing the city a step closer to exiting Act 47 after nine years in the program for financially distressed PA municipalities. Click here for the full story.

Harrisburg school board passed a preliminary budget for the 2019-20 academic year that would raise the school portion of the property tax by 3.4 percent. The board still must pass a final budget. Click here for the full story.

Open Stage of Harrisburg opened its first weekend of the musical “Ragtime,” a production that people should make certain to see during its run, according to our reviewer. Click here for the full story.

Park Harrisburg Advisory Committee met for the first time in more than a year, but only three residents attended the meeting. The committee also enumerated a few past and future projects. Click here for the full story.

Sara Bozich has dozens of great ideas for a fun weekend, especially as the weather forecast takes a turn for the better. Click here for the full story.

TheBurg dropped our new June issue. Pick up your copy at more than 500 distribution locations or click here to read our digital issue.

 

Additional stories from TheBurg Daily over the past week:

Lancaster has been rated the top city in the country to retire. Find out why.

Street-cleaning can generate some serious conflict in Harrisburg. Read our editor’s take on one resident’s fight for justice.

Want to learn an easy stretching routine? Personal trainer Ivan Black shows you how.

 

Do you receive TheBurg Daily, our daily digest of news and events? If not, subscribe here!

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It’s a Stretch: A few at-home exercises can greatly improve your mobility.

Wouldn’t it be nice to get your workout done right before you go to bed, in your own bedroom?

It would certainly be convenient. That’s what I was thinking when I put this little mobility circuit together for you.

Mobility is important, and it only becomes more so as you age. That reality became apparent to me in my early 30s, when it became more difficult to ignore my mobility restrictions. That was when I began to take mobility seriously and sought to improve it.

Along the way, I picked up some good moves. Here are five mobility moves that you can do in the comfort of your own home/bedroom. While this mobility routine is not going to cover all of your fitness needs, it’ll certainly provide you with a simple plan that can help you move better and on a regular basis.

1. Standing Hamstring Stretch
For this movement, you’ll want to make sure that your hips are square to the bed to begin. Place one leg on top of the bed and stand firm on your opposite leg. Bring your hands out in front of your hips and place them on the bed. Don’t forget to breathe. Then switch legs.

2. Assisted Squat Stretch
Stand directly in front of your bed and bend over at the waist until you can grab the base (only perform this movement if your bed is sturdy, otherwise use a door frame).  Separate your feet so they are shoulder-width apart, and sink into your best squat. Continue to hold onto the base of the bed as you remain in the squat. Keep your heels flush to the ground and your chest up. And don’t forget to breathe.

3. Chest, Lats & Triceps Stretch
Stand directly in front of your bed, and place your hands on top of the bed. Keep your knees soft and your weight in your heels as you push your hips back and drive your chest toward the ground. You should immediately feel the stretch in your triceps, your upper back and your chest.

4. Elevated Pigeon
Stand directly in front of your bed, and place one leg on top of the bed in a 90-degree angle. Be sure to square your hips up with the bed and, from there, you can explore the stretch by bringing your hands onto the bed and reaching to your left and then your right. Then switch legs.

5. Half Kneeling Twist
Kneel down beside your bed with one knee on the ground as if you were about to perform a lunge. Be sure to place the leg closest to the bed in front of you (so the kneeling leg is furthest from the bed). Then rotate your body in the direction of the bed, and place your extended arms on top of the bed. Press down into the bed to engage your core, and make sure to breathe as you perform the stretch. Then turn around and get the other side.

Hold these stretches for about a minute to two minutes each.  And, do use caution if you’re a beginner. Rome wasn’t built in a day!

Ivan Black is the owner and trainer at Next Step Performance, 1100 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, call 717-382-6398 or visit www.nsp.fitness.com.

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Burg Blog: Credit Is Due

Who should take credit for the resurgence of Midtown, which includes the beautiful space that is now home to st@rtup Harrisburg?

Last weekend, some good friends from Washington, D.C., came up to Harrisburg for a visit.

They’d been here before, but not in awhile, so I took them on a little “renovation” tour—the historic buildings that had been rehabbed and reoccupied since their last visit.

We walked through st@rtup’s glorious new space at 3rd and Boas, then checked out H*MAC, had a drink in the Millworks. I showed them the buildings now occupied by the Susquehanna Art Museum, modernrugs.com and Zeroday Brewing.

Later, thinking about it, it struck me that not once did I utter the words, “Eric Papenfuse.”

I mention this only because all four challengers for the mayor’s office have, to varying degrees, built their campaigns around giving the sitting mayor the credit (or perhaps the blame, I’m not quite sure) for the dramatic redevelopment of Midtown Harrisburg over the past few years.

I’m not here to defend Papenfuse, as TheBurg does not endorse candidates. But I am here to defend reality, as I believe that credit for the transformation of Midtown should go to the people who deserve it.

Now, Papenfuse, as a businessman, is among that group. His Midtown Scholar Bookstore helped anchor redevelopment at the heart of the neighborhood ever since it opened at N. 3rd and Verbeke. He subsequently bought and renovated the buildings that house the LGBT Center and Yellow Bird Café and is completing renovations of three buildings on the 1400-block of N. 3rd Street. Those are solid contributions.

However, he should not be the sole recipient of the honors or arrows, depending upon your perspective, of what has become of Midtown Harrisburg.

Recognize also Josh Kesler, who, through enormous risk and millions of dollars, gave us the Millworks.

Recognize also John Traynor who, through enormous risk and millions of dollars, gave us H*MAC.

Recognize also Zachary Nitzan, who through enormous risk and millions of dollars, is giving us the modernrugs.com buildings.

Recognize also developers like GreenWorks, Brickbox, WCI, Lift Development and the Vartan Group, which all have completed major projects in Midtown.

Recognize also small business owners like Ruth Prall, Adam Porter, Adam Brackbill, Ivan Black, Samra Alic, Theo and Brandalynn Armstrong, Steph and Ammon Perry, the vendors in the Broad Street Market and many others who have given Midtown vibrancy, customers and a resurgent economy.

Now, there are two significant things that Papenfuse, as mayor, has tried to do in Midtown that are worth noting. The first was the creation of the Broad Street Market Task Force, whose recommendations, I hope, will help the market further its progress and secure its future. The second was his attempt to close down the Third Street Café, a battle that has been criticized simultaneously for attempted gentrification and for ignoring troubled bars in other neighborhoods (you may notice a contradiction there). So, yes, he tried, but failed, in an effort spanning two years and counting.

Owners of the Third Street Cafe show their preference for mayor and City Council.

Meanwhile, Papenfuse’s detractors have ignored where priorities and money actually have been focused during his term: the LED streetlight project (citywide), the multi-modal project (several neighborhoods), the MulDer Square project (Allison Hill) and the sinkhole project (South Harrisburg).

Years ago, a friend, now deceased, warned me not to get my hopes up for Midtown Harrisburg. Then in his 70s, he told me he had seen the neighborhood do a two-step forward, almost two-step backward routine too many times.

I wish he had lived to see this day, that he could have shared a drink with us last weekend, as I believe that Midtown has finally reached a tipping point, a place of sustainable progress.

In this heated election season, it’s important to understand how that happened. It didn’t happen because Papenfuse waved a magic wand and showered the neighborhood with money. It happened because developers took extraordinary risks to restore this and that building, then business people took extraordinary risks to open this or that restaurant, brewery, shop. Ignoring that reality is a profound disservice to those who have actually rebuilt Midtown Harrisburg.

I would like to be charitable and believe that candidates have honestly confused correlation with causation or simply don’t understand how business or development work. However, it’s election season, and charity is hard to come by, especially when giving credit where credit is due.

Lawrance Binda is editor-in-chief of TheBurg.

Disclosure: TheBurg’s publisher, Alex Hartzler, is a principal with WCI Partners.

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Resolution Reboot: A few tips may help you get back on track with your fitness goals.

Screenshot 2016-03-30 00.46.57Now that we are well into 2016, you have probably long forgotten any new year’s resolutions you may have made. Did you resolve to be healthier in 2016 or to finally make it a priority to “get fit?”

When people approach me about a fitness goal, I usually have a few follow-up questions because, in my experience, everyone is different. Before simply jumping into a new fitness routine, you may want to ask yourself:

  • What does fitness mean to you?
  • When you think about fitness, do you think about your appearance or do you think about your health?
  • What’s missing in your life?
  • How could fitness improve your life? Do you want to fit into your wedding dress again? Do you want to make the team? Do you want to improve your health so you can keep up with your kids? Does your job require you to meet certain physical demands?

We all have our reasons to work out, and we all know the countless benefits of doing so—stress management, athletic performance, health, physique, etc. The good news is that fitness is mainstream now, and there are a number of options available to help you meet your goals.

So, as we get further into 2016, whether you’ve been struggling with your resolutions or don’t even remember what they are, there is no better time than now to invigorate yourself with a new fitness routine. Here are five tips to get you back on track to ensure you meet your fitness goals this year.

 

Buddy up  

When you’re setting fitness goals, try doing so with a workout buddy. If you can iron out the scheduling with another person, you could be arming yourself with a valuable instrument in the fight to stick to a training regimen. A friend can hold you accountable when your interest begins to fade. And a buddy system can help keep you motivated and make the training more fun. Additionally, you may find a little friendly competition brewing amidst your journey. This may help you get through some of your tougher workouts and, ultimately, help you reach your goals.

 

Do something you enjoy

There are a lot of fitness fads out there—and some of them might be perfect for you. Some, though, may not. Achieving your goals means finding a routine that works for you and sticking to it. So, make sure you find an activity you will enjoy. Think about a time you were more active. What were you doing? Is there a way for you to incorporate that activity into your life now? Just remember that success means sticking to your routine, whatever it is. Make sure you find something that works for you.

 

Set goals 

One of the most important tools in the pursuit of health and transformation is goal setting. As you set goals, make sure they are realistic, attainable and measurable. You don’t want to set yourself up for failure.

As you set goals to improve your lifestyle, be mindful of the steps necessary to achieve them. For example, if you set a goal to drink more water, how will you go about achieving that goal, and how will you know whether you have achieved it? Instead, perhaps set a goal to drink a glass of water with breakfast, lunch and dinner. This way, you have a clear action plan, and you will know if you are achieving your goal. Goals like this are specific and attainable, which will allow you to hold yourself accountable.

It’s also important to set short-, medium- and long-term goals. Achieving your short- and medium-term goals will help give you the confidence you need to tackle your longer-term goals. And, again, if your goals are attainable, you will set yourself up for success. Heck, staying on track can be as simple as putting yourself out there and using your friends and family as a support system. If you are on social media, this can be a fantastic way to hold yourself accountable.

 

Join an active organization

There is no better way to get active than simply piggybacking on the efforts of others. Groups like Harrisburg Young Professionals can make that easy and exciting. They offer a variety of activities and events that get people moving and shaking. And, who knows, you might make a friend or two in the process.

 

Try group training 

For those who are serious about taking their fitness to the next level, there is always group fitness training.

Group fitness is taking over the fitness scene because people are looking for creative ways to stay active and see results. This has created many opportunities for fitness entrepreneurs and, as a result, there are plenty of new fitness options on the market.

You don’t have to go to the gym and shell out for a trainer or stand among the undecipherable fitness equipment and try to put together your own routine. Group fitness is a way to get serious about your fitness. Leave it to a professional to come up with the creative program design and join a fitness community that will help keep you motivated.

 

It’s April, months after you made those 2016 resolutions. Fortunately, there’s still plenty of time to honor your pledge to get into better shape—especially with beach weather right around the corner.

 

Ivan Black is the owner and trainer at Next Step Performance, 1100 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.nsp.fitness or call 717-382-6398.

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So You Want to Start a Business: three entrepreneurs share their experiences in the capital city.

Ivan Black, Next Step Performance

Ivan Black, Next Step Performance

Launching a new business is like venturing on a cross-country road trip, but in pre-GPS days, without the luxury of Siri telling you your next move.

Daunting, I know. With endless possibilities, it’s overwhelming to think of what needs to happen between packing your bag and arriving at your final destination, or in business terms, fashioning an initial concept and flinging your doors open to gleaming sunshine and singing birds on opening day.

Hats off to the brave souls who have navigated this uncertain terrain successfully. We spoke with three Harrisburg entrepreneurs with very different businesses to learn how they began and what advice they could offer to those just beginning their journeys.

 

Know Your Abilities—and Challenges

When Urban Churn owner Adam Brackbill decided to take a dip into the ice cream business, he did so with a family history of ice cream churning behind him and a “why not” mentality in front of him.

“We had a churn at my grandmother’s cottage, and, at every family gathering, my great uncle would make ice cream,” said Brackbill, a serial entrepreneur who also co-owns the co-working space, StartUp, and has his own Web development company. “I thought that there was nothing like that in Harrisburg. So, I started doing research and bought five small churns and began experimenting with flavors.”

His experience with ice cream made his start a bit easier, but it definitely did not eliminate the challenges. These included a lack of funding and confusion around what type of licenses he needed, especially since he was venturing into the regulated terrain of manufacturing and selling food. All five original churns also broke, thanks to an overzealous owner experimenting with flavors.

Adam Brackbill

Adam Brackbill

Like Brackbill, Ivan Black of Next Step Performance built his business off of what he already knew and loved—fitness.

“I’m a life-long athlete, and I couldn’t find anything else that fulfilled me,” he said.

A veteran trainer, Black had years of experience working the floor with clients, but not with the ins and outs of a business venture.

“The business side of things has been the new challenge, but my best asset is my ability to work with people, and that’s been paramount in opening a business,” he said.

To help overcome his perceived weaknesses, Black asked for help and advice.

“I never held a management position with any of the big corps I’ve worked for,” he said. “So, I talked to my coworkers and people who have held those management positions. I talked to them about the business management side of things, which was helpful.”

Those business items included navigating through payroll and learning how to add schedules to a website, he said.

On the other hand, Ruth Prall, co-owner of note. Wine Bar and Bistro, built off of her base of expertise from a previous life as an accountant. She self-identifies as the “spreadsheet queen” and leveraged those skills to work through projections, projections and more projections.

“This is definitely my first business,” she said. “I don’t want to say I don’t recommend it, but I’d say being older and having gone through so many experiences put me in a much better position to do something like this because you just learn over time.”

Prall’s prior career as a nurse also came in handy.

“Being a registered nurse, you learn the experience of dealing with people and dealing with stressful situations,” she said. “So, nothing could be as critical as the things I did before in that job. I could deal with somebody being unhappy with their meal.”

Given that philosophy, Prall confidently launched into her new venture.

“I knew I wanted to run a business that had to do with hospitality, and, through the course of a couple of years, I was planning and thinking and testing other things out through traveling,” she said. “The road kept narrowing until I came to this concept of a wine bar.”

 

Know the Terrain

As you may imagine, opening a business in Harrisburg is different from opening a business in Philadelphia or even Lancaster. The opportunity to create a unique business—one different from those around it—was something that all three entrepreneurs identified as a positive for Harrisburg.

Brackbill led me through his thinking when he considered starting each of his three businesses.

“For a co-working business, it made sense because there’s no co-working spaces in Harrisburg,” he said. “For ice cream, it made sense because there were no ice cream places in Harrisburg. For Web development, that was just because office space was very affordable in the city.”

Prall also felt that her concept of a wine bar and bistro was unique compared to other restaurants in Harrisburg. In addition, she felt an emotional attachment to the community that is her lifelong home.

“I grew up in Harrisburg. I’ve never lived anywhere else,” she said. “I was one of the complainers about how there’s not much to do around here, but it wasn’t until I moved into Midtown that I spent so much time in this area and realized what a fantastic neighborhood it was.”

This enthusiasm for the community is something Brackbill identified as a common thread among Harrisburg business owners.

“The biggest reason why I’m able to continue doing what I’m doing is because of all the friends I’ve made,” he explained. “As long as you make a big enough noise and try to get involved and try to get to know people, and you’re friendly and you want to be friends rather than just trying to find people to use them, then you’ll succeed.”

New to the capital city, Black did not have the advantage of strong, established relationships here, but he recognized it as something that he needed to build.

“In the beginning, I didn’t have a network here,” he said. “I didn’t train in this area for years on end. Anybody would tell you I was crazy. You don’t open a business in the area unless you have a solid product and a strong way of reaching people. I believed in the product, and I figured I’d reach people eventually.”

Upon arriving in Harrisburg from Washington, D.C., Black immediately joined a baseball team to meet people and started networking every way he could, and he soon started to feel the warmth of the neighborhood.

“Harrisburg has been good,” he said. “I’ve had people who have been supportive of the project.”

Many of his Midtown neighbors are now his friends and clients. But he especially recalls one guy who resisted his exercise pitch.

“He said, ‘I’ll never work out, not here, not there or anywhere, but as a Harrisburg Midtown resident, I wanted to thank you for bringing your operation here,’” Black said. “It was really heartwarming, and I then knew that my business was all about the community.”

 

Map It Out & Look Ahead

Research, research, research. All three entrepreneurs put in hard work and planning before starting their new businesses.

“Do your research first,” Brackbill said. “I’ve always been a go-with-the-flow type of guy, but that could land me in hot water. So, you can’t just go with the flow. You need to make sure you’re doing everything correctly. Keep learning and ask questions.”

Beyond friends, family and the Internet, Brackbill—to his surprise—found the government to be helpful.

“When you’re trying to be sure that you’re doing everything correctly, the state and the city really help,” he said. “I thought the government would be snub-nosing and slapping your wrist all of the time, but I didn’t find that to be the case. They help a lot. They want to see you succeed, and part of their job is to see that business excels in the state.”

Prall, too, had a hand from a third party, a fellow successful restaurant owner, who, she said, helped her confidence and credibility as a restaurateur. Remember those projections that Prall worked endlessly on? She projected down to the day what she could potentially make in the business to see if it was feasible.

“I really spent two solid years planning,” she explained as she listed off questions she would ponder. “What kind of food would I serve? What feel would the restaurant have?”

Prall remembered one specific moment while obtaining her liquor license.

“I came up with a business plan that was pretty impressive,” she said. “I was pretty proud that the business plan that I had was good enough for them to say, ‘You can feel relatively confident that you’re going to get your money back.’”

Still, she knew that planning wouldn’t make her journey flawless.

“I understood that you might do absolutely everything right and still fail because of the market or a wave of crime or those things out of your control,” she said. “I had a plan. If it failed, I had another plan, but I certainly didn’t want to fail.”

She laughed briefly, then added, “I feel like I’ve been pretty consistent in life with things so I was like, ‘Let’s not fail.’ And so far, so good!”

Black, too, stressed the importance of pre-planning to help avoid mistakes.

“When you’re learning on the fly, in the time it takes you to learn, you could mess up and that could be bad for you,” he said. “But there are so many resources out there for you to do your research. If you have a dream, just go for it. There are some fantastic people doing fantastic things.”

 

To learn more about these businesses and their owners, visit:

Next Step Performance: www.nsp.fitness

note. Bistro & Wine Bar: www.notewinebar.com

Urban Churn: www.urbanchurn.com

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Better Shape: Ivan Black brings his passion for fitness to a struggling corner of Harrisburg.

Screenshot 2015-06-30 07.39.12Last month, on a not-too-hot Wednesday morning, I found myself hanging from a pull-up bar in Riverfront Park, doing something called a “scap pull,” while Front Street’s southbound traffic whizzed by. “Awesome,” said Ivan Black, a fitness instructor who was standing beside me, adding (generously, I thought) “good stuff.” Minutes before, I had done a series of forward, sideward and backward lunges, teetering on my feet like a cardboard skeleton. Now Black was talking me through some verbs that, in theory, corresponded to what I was doing with my shoulders. I drove, I squeezed, I pinched, I pulled. Then he had me drop from the bar and run in place. “So,” he said when I was finished, “that was our warm up.”

This month, Black will open a fitness studio, Next Step Performance, at the corner of 3rd and Herr streets in Midtown. The studio will focus on calisthenics and training that relies on the exerciser’s own body weight. It will look like a “typical CrossFit studio,” he says, referring to the high-intensity fitness regime, with lots of open space and some minimal equipment, like medicine balls and a pull-up bar.

Black, a former college baseball player, moved to Harrisburg with his wife three months ago from Washington, D.C. There, he taught classes at Reformation Fitness, an area gym, and launched a personal fitness website. When he arrived here, he had already formed plans for the studio, but he also wanted to get involved in something while he ironed out the details. “To sort of ground myself and find some normalcy, I had to start playing baseball,” he said. He joined the East Hanover Braves in the amateur Pennsylvania Midstate Baseball League, where, as of this writing, he was batting .375 in 16 at-bats. “The guy that runs the team is awesome,” Black said. “His name is Harry Hitz. Perfect name for baseball, you know?”

Next Step Performance will take up residence in a block that has struggled to find a stable mix of businesses. Across the street is Pastorante, a sleek fresh-pasta restaurant, but also a recently vacated corner property. The studio will occupy the site of the former T-Mart convenience store, which was evicted by the landlord late last year after repeatedly running afoul of neighbors and city officials. “It was an absolute wreck, but there was something charming about it,” Black said of the space. “I had a bat hanging from the ceiling. I took a picture of that.” When he learned that vocal neighborhood opposition had helped lead to his predecessor’s eviction, he found it encouraging. “That made me feel good, because the sort of business I have, I need the community involved,” he said. “I knew if I did the right thing, I’d be OK.”

My post-warm-up workout with Black in Riverfront Park proceeded in two stages. The first was a seven-minute rotation through a sequence of reverse lunges (hands behind my head, in “prisoner position”), crawling in a pushup stance down a rope ladder he’d laid out on the pavement, and a set of six chin-ups on the bar. I am to upper body strength as Escalades are to fuel efficiency, and when the chin-ups weren’t working out, Black switched me back to scap—short for “scapular”—pulls. While I toiled, he would dole out snippets of encouragement interspersed with philosophical reflections. “There’s that unconscious, like, boost in your, not to say your ego, but just how you feel, how you walk around, how you approach everything in your day-to-day, just because you’ve got—there you go—a little bit of added mental and physical strength,” he said. After the seven minutes, he joined me for a leg stretch. “Whoooo!” he cried. “Hamstring City. Hamstring City.”

After that, Black led me to another station for something he called “tabata intervals,” which, when Googled, returns as the top hit a page titled “The 4-Minute Fat-Burning Miracle.” The routine involved timed pushups on an incline, followed by jumping jacks with a rubber resistance band wrapped around my ankles. “Ready to bring it home? Let’s get her done,” Black said, as I went into my final 20 seconds of jumping. “So much work behind you, so little in front of you.”

Whether he was reacting to the pace of my breathing or the fact that the park drinking fountain was malfunctioning, I don’t know, but after the intervals, Black decided it was time to “Zen it out a little bit.” We sat on a bench facing the river and did some yoga stretches. “I went on a cruise with my wife about a year and a half ago, and the yoga instructor was awesome,” he said. “Young kid, and just, like, more excited about yoga than anybody I’d seen. And I’m in fitness. And then bring it down. He taught the same class every day. Said the same thing—everything.

“I can definitely remember saying to my wife a couple times, ‘You know, this is the same class every week, it’s hard to get excited about this. It’s just sort of something we’re doing.’ Right now, we’re just gonna keep it going, from there just bring it down right in between the legs, big stretch through the lower back. And so, at the end of the cruise, the last class we were in, I go into that class with that same sentiment in my mind. And, like, the first portion of the class I’m doing profoundly better at everything. So I’m like, all right. There is something to doing the same routine. You learn from that.”

The morning of our workout, Black was a few weeks from putting the final touches on his studio. He still had to install the flooring and the pull-up bar. He had already started to lock down some clients, though, including a high-school baseball player from Susquehanna Township. He was excited about the prospect of working with young athletes “with potential and a brand-new, like, love for the game,” at “that point where taking it seriously makes sense, you know?”

“I’m all about progression,” he said. “That’s why I train. That’s like the poetic side that I love. You come out of it a different person. Even if you give just a decent effort. And you learn so much about yourself—not just the physical, beyond the physical. You learn about what you can stand mentally. How much pain you can take. All of that resonates with the person you are.”

Next Step Performance will open soon at 1100 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit https://www.nsp.fitness or call 717-382-6398.

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Fitness Studio Planned For Site Of Evicted Corner Store

Ivan Black in the retail space at 3rd and Herr streets where he plans to open Next Step Performance this July.

Ivan Black in the retail space at 3rd and Herr streets where he plans to open Next Step Performance this July.

A fitness studio plans to open next month at the corner of 3rd and Herr streets in Midtown, replacing a convenience store that was evicted late last year after a string of citations and complaints from the neighborhood.

Ivan Black, a personal trainer and former college baseball player, hopes to launch the new training studio under the name Next Step Performance in the remodeled space on July 6, with a focus on calisthenics and bodyweight training.

The space will look like a “typical CrossFit studio,” Black said, referring to the popular high-intensity fitness regime, with lots of open space and some minimal equipment like pull-up bars and medicine balls.

Next Step Performance will fill a first-floor, corner commercial space that has sat vacant since the eviction of the T-Mart, a convenience store that repeatedly ran afoul of neighbors and city officials during the two-and-half years it was there.

The store and its owner, Tika Siwakoti, were the subject of several citations, including for selling loose cigarettes and failing a codes inspection.

Midtown Square Action Council, a neighborhood group, was particularly active in pressing for change from the city and the landlord, who finally filed for eviction in mid-October.

“It was an absolute wreck, but there was something charming about it,” Black said of the space. “I had a bat hanging from the ceiling. I took a picture of that.”

Black and his wife moved to Harrisburg two months ago from Washington, D.C., where he taught classes at Reformation Fitness, an area gym. He also launched Ivan Black Fitness, a website for his personal training services.

He said he was getting familiar with Harrisburg and was happy to “hit the ground running.”

“I feel good about the neighborhood, too,” he said, describing the Midtown location as a growing part of the city.

Black said the neighbors’ involvement in the ousting of the tenant before him, which he learned about from the building’s owner, encouraged him.

“That made me feel good, because the sort of business I have, I need the community involved,” he said. “I knew if I did the right thing, I’d be OK.”

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