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Body and Soul of business

n Sept. 22 and 23, Body and Soul Complex in Lehighton will host an open house to showcase all of the businesses located in the former three-story silk mill at 701 Bridge St. The building is home to nine businesses and offices including: RFM Services Inc., Service Construction, PDC Spa and Pool World, Seventh Moon Wellness Spa, New Life Liquidation, Body and Soul Storage, Bayada Pediatrics, Spectrum, Maternal and Family Health Services WIC Center, and office of Dr. Thaddeus Midas.

"It's one way of letting people know what's in the building," said Woody Frey, co-owner of the complex with his wife, Robin.The open house will run from 2 to 6 p.m. on Sept. 22 and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sept. 23. The businesses will have door prizes, free gifts and food."You're going to want to hit every floor," he said.There is also 4,000 square feet of space that needs to be filled. Anyone interested in renting some space for an office or business is welcome to look at the space during the open house. The space can be renovated to suit almost any potential business, he said."Nothing that will compete with our current businesses," Frey said. He wants to keep it retail or office space, nothing that could disturb the neighbors with noise.When Frey and his wife first purchased the building in 1995, they turned the former silk mill into the Body and Soul Fitness Sports Complex. The site included an indoor soccer field on the third floor, batting cages and a gym, and was the location of Tumble with Denise, which is now located and expanded at Oak Grove Drive in Mahoning Valley.They also moved their construction business out of their house and into the new building and built a public storage area.Along with his wife, their three children have worked in the company since high school and continue to today. Their daughter, Jennifer Conrad, has learned her mother's job and handles the financial responsibilities. Their son Jay, handles the ongoing projects of the construction company, and son Rob, is the facilities director. He takes care of the equipment and helps with their business, PDC Spa and Pool World, located next door to the construction company's offices."We, as parents, have been blessed that our three children have come into the business with us. It's an answered prayer," he said. "It's what I dreamed about and now it's become a reality."Even their two grandchildren are learning the business. His grandson helps with washing the construction trucks and shoveling snow, while his granddaughter helps in the Frey's newest business, New Life Liquidation on the third floor."She loves playing store," he said. "How many kids, who are 7 years old, get to play store in a real store?"In addition to Body and Soul Storage Complex, Frey also owns a public storage facility in the former Bunker Hill School in Franklin Township.

Jennifer Conrad holds a frame of drawings of the Body and Soul Complex, which was a former silk mill in 1898. KRISTINE PORTER/TIMES NEWS
Body and Soul Complex is a family-run business. From left are Jennifer Conrad, Robin Frey, Woody Frey, Jay Frey and Rob Frey. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
PDC Spa and Pool World is another one of the businesses owned by the Freys. It is located in the Body and Soul Complex in Lehighton. KRISTINE PORTER/TIMES NEWS
The three-story Body and Soul Complex in Lehighton was once a silk mill. Now it holds nine businesses. KRISTINE PORTER/TIMES NEWS
PDC Spa and Pool World is another one of the businesses owned by the Freys. It is located in the Body and Soul Complex in Lehighton. KRISTINE PORTER/TIMES NEWS