Growing faster in numbers than the facility on First Avenue could hold, Gymnastics Lane needed to upgrade.

Owner Angie Mellencamp kept her eyes open for a new location for some time while collecting equipment and storing it away until finding the right spot.

On Monday, after two years of searching, the business opened at a new location at 1533 W. Tipton St. in Suite A in Seymour.

Gymnastics Lane has now expanded from 7,000 square feet to 13,000.

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“About two years ago, we started thinking about moving or adding on at the other facility,” Mellencamp said. “We were literally growing out of the building. We didn’t have enough space. I was visiting a friend in this building when it was Indiana Tanning Supply, and I thought this might work.”

Mellencamp said Gymnastics Lane has between 275 and 300 athletes currently in its programs, including the Synergy Athletics All-Stars cheerleading teams.

The new building offers plenty of space for both gymnastics and cheerleading.

“We knew that when we wanted to move, we wanted two floors. We have legal-sized cheer and gymnastics floors,” Mellencamp said. “I knew I wanted more vaults, so now, we have two runways. Right now, we have three bar sets and two single rails, but one more that still needs to go up. We have all six beams out, and we’re going to get an in-ground pit with a water table. We were a little pinched for time with the rain, and we will hopefully begin digging the pit at the end of July.”

For many of the gymnasts, Monday was the first time they had seen the new digs.

“It was surprising,” Seymour High School junior Brett Kleber said. “I didn’t think it was going to be this big. (Monday) was the first day that I actually got to come in. It’s a lot more than what I expected, and I think we’ll get a lot more training in.”

The gymnastics facility also aims to expand its services to more boys.

“Our boys program, right before we moved from the old facility, really took off,” Mellencamp said. “We have about seven boys right now, so we have rings, a legal high bar, pommel and vault. Parallel bars are on the way. We’re getting there.”

Mellencamp said she added three coaches to the staff with the move.

With some gyms closing around the state, Mellencamp took advantage of equipment going up for sale.

“During the two-year time span, I’ve been going to gyms that have been closing their doors,” Mellencamp said. “Those gym owners were selling their used equipment, so a lot of the equipment I’ve bought over the last few years has been in storage in the hopes of moving one day.”

With a bigger space, Mellencamp said the high school team could now host an invitational, and she hopes to also host sanctioned and nonsanctioned gymnastics and cheerleading competitions.

Gymnastics Lane also now features a pro shop and boutique, which runs during normal business hours along with the programs.

Mellencamp attributes the continued growth to the people who make it happen each day.

“I think a lot of it is the staff,” Mellencamp said. “We meet monthly, and I send my staff to training. We try to keep a positive attitude in the gym with all the kids. We want to be positive and encouraging when we’re correcting kids instead of discouraging and being negative. I think it’s all going to be great for the kids and the community.”