A new Main Street business, Power Full Nutrition, aims to break away from the normal supplements and nutrition shops around Ames with an interesting spin. They offer ready-to-order shakes and other items to augment a good day’s workout.

The shop, located at 130 Main Street, opened its doors Dec. 17, 2012. While  the shop is only one month old, co-owners Mark Hensch and Carla Schultz have already seen steady growth.

“I think every day we’re growing; the word’s spreading. I think people are geared toward more health and nutrition and not so much fast food now. We’ve seen Ankeny grow in the last few years tremendously,” Shultz stated.

Hensch and Shultz are two of five owners of the store, and they’ve had businesses in other shops including Ankeny, Altoona and Des Moines.

The owners decided on Main Street in Ames partly from Shultz’ daughter, an ISU student. She thought it’d be a good idea because “there is nothing like it up here.” 

Breaking away from the norm means offering something that most nutrition places don’t offer, a deal for “members” to stop in at their convenience and buy a meal replacement package.

The package is designed for after workouts; it includes a shake supplemented with protein, fiber or both; tea; and a shot of aloe vera to cleanse the digestive track. The shake is prepared at your request; the tea and aloe are prepared during the morning to ensure freshness.

Along with the meal replacement, Hensch said their hours were created to appeal to a very specific customer. They are open from 6:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

“We like to hit the crowd that likes to work out in the morning and then will come here to get their shake afterward or after lunch to come here. In the afternoon hours, we like to set up for our evaluations of our clients. That way it gives it more of a private atmosphere,” Hensch explained.

Evaluations include free wellness screenings that tell you what diet is right for your lifestyle, your body mass index and your target weight range. 

Power Full Nutrition also offers products for children. The owners stated that the main difference between the children’s products is the calorie count.

Since their opening day, they’ve seen more than 60 new customers with a portion of them being ISU students. With the store gaining more referrals day by day, they aspire to someday offer “Zumba” type classes.