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Making Waves: Little Fishes Swim School Opens Additional Facility in Chesterfield

St. Louis, MO—Little Fishes Swim School (LFSS), St. Louis’ first private, indoor, year-round swim school, announces the opening of a second location in Chesterfield, MO at 17359 Edison Avenue Chesterfield, MO 63005 to accommodate the rapidly growing customer base in West County and beyond. LFSS has been and is currently enrolling students at the new location. The ribbon-cutting and grand opening ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 31, 2014 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.  Chesterfield Councilmember Mike Casey will present the official proclamation and world renowned professional surfer who was recently inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame, Keala Kennelly, will sign autographs, pose for pictures, and discuss the importance of childhood swimming lessons and water safety. Activities planned for the day include crafts so that the children can help decorate the new building, face painting, swim class demonstrations, raffle prizes, delicious food, and more. Plus, LFSS will be giving away one year of FREE lessons.

 

The Chesterfield facility, called Little Fishes Chesterfield, features the same three-pool layout, play area, healthy vending options, and child-friendly changing rooms that have made the Brentwood location so successful.  The new two-facility LFSS will employ 40 coaches, 15 supervisors, and nine leadership and administrative team members.

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“Although some of our families drive over 30 minutes for their classes, we wanted to provide a more convenient option for those out west,” said LFSS founder, Ruthie Zarren. “In addition, we needed to expand because we have a wait list for evening and weekend classes and we never want to turn away families who want to give their children a lifesaving skill.”

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This is consistent with the School’s mission: to build confidence, strengthen motor skills, and develop a foundation for a lifetime of safe swimming in a comfortable, family-friendly environment. LFSS’s passion for providing a lifesaving skill to as many children as possible has fueled the growth of this premier swim education center since it opened its first one-pool facility in Brentwood in 2008. In fact, the organization has experienced significant growth every year since it first opened its doors. The addition of the Chesterfield location comes just one year after the original Brentwood facility moved to a larger three-pool space to accommodate more than 1500 weekly students. This news also comes 10 months after Zarren brought in a partner, St. Louis native, Steve Melnick.

 

“As a businessman, entrepreneur, and parent of a competitive swimmer and two other children who learned to swim at a young age, I had heard about Ruthie and LFSS,” says Melnick. “I knew the private swim school model worked and that LFSS thrived—even during an economic downturn—because of Ruthie’s ingenuity and continuous innovation. I’m proud to be part of this organization as we move to Chesterfield and beyond.”

 

Plans for further expansion do exist. With revenue expected to more than double as a result of the additional facility, the swim school that started out operating two days a week and teaching 46 students is now a multi-million dollar organization.

 

“It’s how I make my living, but it is also what I love,” said Zarren, who created the School’s first curricula and is co-creator of Safer When Wet, a comprehensive preschool program that teaches water safety. “As long as there are families who want to give their children the gift of swimming lessons to keep them safe around water, we hope to have a nearby facility in which to teach them.”

 

If interested in enrolling your child for lessons at either the Brentwood or Chesterfield location, call 314-647-SWIM (7946) or email littlefishes@littlefishesswimschool.com.

 

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About Little Fishes Swim School

Little Fishes Swim School (LFSS) is a premier swim education center—and the first private, indoor, year-round swim school in St. Louis. With two facility locations, one in Brentwood and one in Chesterfield, LFSS has taught more than 6000 children, ages 6 months to 6 years, to swim, giving them a “Skill for Life.” By combining innovative curricula, certified and experienced staff, a family-friendly environment, and premium customer service, LFSS helps to build confidence, strengthen motor skills, and develop a foundation for a lifetime of safe swimming. For more, www.littlefishesswimschool.com or 314-647-SWIM (7946).

 

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