The proposition sounded innocuous enough. Brinti Rowley and her husband Jon had just moved back to Britni’s native Kansas City after a couple of years living in Chicago, and Jon was interested in picking up some athletic training clients. What if Jon put Britni’s mom Marilee and her five-person walking group through some stretching exercises for 30 minutes a day?

“There were ulterior motives,” Britni laughs.

“It started out with some stretching. Then we added some core work. Then a few kettle ball swings. And eventually we got them doing pull ups and lifting weights,” Jon said. “And they bought in.”

From those humble beginnings, the Rowleys’ business, 2020 Fitness, has blossomed into a thriving fitness community in the heart of Prairie Village. Five years after its founding, 2020 has moved from the garage, first to a small retail space off Metcalf, and then to its current headquarters in the former Prairie Village Post Office building on 73rd Terrace, where dozens of people stream in each day for a series of challenging workouts. 2020’s main programming is built around the CrossFit model, featuring intense exercises that include a variety of functional movements. But the gym also offers specialized programs tailored to sports performance. A program they call “SwingFit” is designed to improve golfers’ games, for example.

Jon, who got turned on to the short, high-intensity workout model after years as an endurance athlete, said his focus has been on creating a positive environment where people from all backgrounds feel welcome and challenged.

“We’ve got seniors working out next to elite athletes in their 20s,” he said. “And that’s part of the appeal.”

“There’s all different demographics,” Britni said. “That’s the thing I really like about CrossFit. It’s scalable — you can adjust it to fit your level.”

The Rowleys, who live a short walk away from the gym and recently had their first child, say they’re excited to have seen the business’s roots set in here in the Prairie Village area. And as the business has gotten more established, they’ve started thinking about steps for the future.

“Opportunity number one is taking our coaching talent and getting it outside of these walls, going to train at business locations,” Jon said. “And as time and resources present themselves, we’d look at expanding to other locations so we can expand our footprint. It’ll be a natural evolution.”

But, they say, the focus will always be on creating a connection point for people to improve their health, no matter what condition they’re in.

“Our program is structured for people to be better versions of themselves, wherever they are,” he said. “I want people to know what it feels like to feel good. I think unfortunately a lot of people these days really don’t know what it feels like to feel good.”