Long Island couple owns neighboring businesses in Albertson: Splurge and D-Fine Fitness
Gayle and Craig Hatchett of Roslyn say owning their own businesses outside their home, but having them located in the same building, can be challenging sometimes for the married couple, but they say they wouldn’t have it any other way. Credit: Splurge
Married couple Gayle and Craig Hatchett, of Rosyln, both work full-time jobs; she runs a boutique and he owns a gym. But they're around each other regularly.
Their businesses -- Craig's D-Fine Fitness and Gayle's Splurge women's fashion store -- are located next to each other in a shopping facility in Albertson. When you walk into the building, Splurge is to the left, with the gym straight ahead.
“We have created a very unique environment,” says Gayle, 59. And the pair has shared their boutique and gym spaces before.
Craig, 50, purchased the gym in 2004 when it was named Personal Training Studio in Roslyn Heights. He changed the name to D-Fine Fitness and, in 2011, moved to the Albertson site, where Splurge had been located since 2010. But the boutique actually got its start inside the gym.
“Gayle opened with one rack of clothes in my old gym,” Craig, a personal trainer, says. “She kept growing and taking over my space so as the lease was coming to an end, we needed to move so she could have her own space.”
The Hatchetts say that working together just works.
“Craig gets to work most days by 6:30 a.m. By the time I get to work he’s already trained seven clients,” Gayle notes. “We will try to sneak out for lunch once in a while,” and the two get home at about the same time.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” adds Craig of working near his wife of 18 years.
They like to promote each other’s businesses too. During the pandemic, Craig built the Splurge website so his wife could do sales online and he continues to be involved with it.
“But now he thinks he’s not only a gym owner and trainer but a fashion consultant as well,” Gayle Hatchett says.
While most days go well, on others the two say the arrangement can be a little too close for comfort.
“It’s been very fun,” Gayle says. "Fortunately, we both have successful businesses and made it through the good times and the bad.”
Splurge and D-Fine Fitness are located at 1 Albertson Ave., in Albertson. Splurge is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday (516-277-2565,splurgestoreonline.com); D-Fine Fitness is open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday and 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday (516-484-6300,d-finefitness.com).
