Kathryn Marmon, Reporter
GRANTS, NM -- Monique Santistevan, owner and manager of Snap Fitness, the workout center on First Street, is dealing with a formidable challenge. As were her neighboring businesses, she was surprised by the intensity of the much-needed rain. Gratitude turned to horror and frustration as many business owners stood by helplessly watching the muddy waters enter their buildings by oozing under walls and doors.
Santistevan was out of town on the flood date, June 21, but her daughter and son-in-law were in the building and did all they could to save their mother’s business from watery destruction.
As many First Street business owners are learning, though they may have flood insurance, they are only partially covered. That is the building, walls, and floors, are insured, but not any equipment for the business or office.
The task facing Santistevan is to replace her fitness center’s walls, insolation, drywall, and flooring. She has even had a foam water barrier sprayed around the bottom edges of the walls in hopes that it will prevent future leakage in the case of another deluge.
Other necessary restoration efforts have included a professional crew with a dehumidifier machine, for the last two weeks, and mold prevention. When the humidity has been tested and has reached an acceptable level, there will be a final Inspection before reopening.
When her members return they will enjoy a few updates to their workout facility. One wall has been torn down, allowing extra space for equipment.
The fitness professional was a trainer for 24 years before becoming a business owner. She moved up the ladder with the Snap Fitness company, which first offered a managerial position. Santistevan decided to join the company with her own location in 2022.
Ironically, she experienced the same foul weather incident at the Snap Fitness Albuquerque location in 2023, and at this same time of the year. Santistevan owns her Grants building, but the Albuquerque location is rented, and repairs were done by her landlord.
Snap Fitness, Grants, has been closed for approximately five weeks. The owner hopes to reopen next Thursday, July 25th. Her members share that hope and have been patiently waiting, some even helping the owner with the cleanup.
It is also hopeful that all her new preventative measures will help to avoid this catastrophe from happening in the future.