Blooms turn a shared dream into Sutton’s newest business
There’s something about small towns that’s hard to explain unless you’ve lived it.
It’s not just the streets or the buildings or the businesses. It’s the people. It’s the way a place holds your memories, shapes who you become, and then somehow still shows up for you years later when you decide to build something of your own.
For Lakyn Bloom, daughter of Sutton residents Todd and Shelly Mau, Sutton isn’t just where she lives, it’s where her story started. A 2013 graduate of Sutton High School, Lakyn carries her hometown’s spirit into everything she does today.
“This town is the place that holds so many of my childhood memories,” she shared. “It’s shaped me into the person I am today.”
And that sense of support hasn’t faded over time. From her days as a student to teaching and coaching, and now stepping into business ownership, she says Sutton has always been there.
“This town is something special,” she said. “Until you’ve lived in a small town like Sutton, I don’t feel you truly understand what it feels like to have a community that shows up without being asked, stands by you without question, and makes you feel like you truly belong.”
That sense of belonging runs even deeper when you realize Lakyn isn’t the first in her family to build something here.
With roots that include everything from a feed and livestock store to mowing businesses, a transport company, a salvage yard, and what she proudly calls “the best place to get ice cream this side of the Mississippi,” entrepreneurship is part of her family’s legacy.
“To be another member of my family to add a business in this town means something special to me,” she said. “There’s a sense of pride in creating something that not only represents us, but also gives back to the people in our community.”
That “us” includes her husband, Austin Bloom, who joined the Sutton community in 2022 and has quickly found his place both in the town and in their shared vision for the future.
The two met the way many great small-town stories begin… on the softball field. What started as a shared love for the game eventually turned into a shared vision for their future. While Lakyn’s roots in Sutton run deep, Austin’s path into the community has been just as hands-on, working alongside her family in their business and becoming a familiar face around town.
After getting engaged in early 2024, and married that November, the conversations about building something together became more serious.
They tossed around plenty of ideas over time. Coffee shops, a brunch spot, even a children’s museum. But it wasn’t until the right building came along that everything clicked into place.
After reaching out to see what spaces might be available in town, they were told about a building for rent that hadn’t even been on their radar.
“We jumped at the opportunity to check it out,” Lakyn said. “After seeing the building, we felt it was just what we were looking for.”
From there, things moved quickly.
Within just over a month, they went from gathering quotes to applying for LB840 funding, meeting with city officials, and receiving full approval. By early December, their idea had officially become reality.
But turning that reality into a functioning business wasn’t as simple as unlocking the doors and bringing in equipment.
“The hardest part was getting the building ready before we could even start putting it back together,” she said.
There was cleaning, painting, flooring, drywall, electrical, HVAC, and structural work to support the weight of the equipment. Some things they could control. Others depended on schedules and timing that were out of their hands, making it difficult to set a clear timeline.
With help from local businesses like Kreutzer Construction, Quality Builders, and Sutton Electric, the space slowly came together piece by piece. Much of the hands-on work fell to Austin, whose ability to build, problem-solve, and adapt helped turn their vision into something real.
And, like most people who have never opened a business might assume, there was a lot more behind the scenes than meets the eye.
“It’s not as simple as buying or renting a building, putting equipment in it, and opening,” she said. “There are a lot of little things to think about.”
From insurance and equipment choices to pricing, payment systems, and security, every detail had to be considered.
Then came the name. Like many couples starting something new, they went through idea after idea. Nothing felt quite right until they looked a little closer to home.
Their dogs. “We’re both dog people and our dogs mean a lot to us,” she said.
That’s how Off the Leash Fitness and Nutrition was born.
“The name represents letting go of your self-doubt, restrictions, and the idea that fitness has to look a certain way,” she explained. “It’s about unleashing your inner strength, energy, and potential.”
And while Lakyn might laugh about it now, she’s quick to admit the final name was Austin’s idea, one that ended up capturing exactly what they wanted the space to represent.
It’s a message that carries directly into the environment they’ve created.
The space is intentionally designed to feel clean, calm, and welcoming. Not intimidating. Not overwhelming. Just a place where people can walk in, take a breath, and focus on themselves.
“There is no ‘right’ age, body type, or fitness level for our gym,” she said. “Everyone should feel comfortable walking through our doors.”
While the gym itself may be smaller than big-city facilities, it was built with intention. They sought input from the community when choosing equipment, making sure it met real needs. That smaller, more personal environment is exactly what makes it feel approachable.
And they’re not stopping there.
Their long-term vision includes adding a coffee and tea shop to the front of the space, inspired by their own experiences traveling for softball tournaments.
Between games in Kansas City, they found themselves regularly stopping at a place that offered protein coffees, energy teas, and meal replacement shakes.
“It became routine for us,” she said.
Bringing that concept to Sutton felt like a natural extension of what they were already building. A place where people can fuel their bodies, connect with others, and make health part of their everyday lives.
Opening a business as newlyweds could easily come with challenges, but for Lakyn and Austin, it has been a process of balance.
Together, they complement each other. Lakyn leads the planning, organization, and communication, while Austin brings the vision to life through handson work, technology, and the physical buildout of the space. While there have been moments of stress along the way, they’ve worked through them by talking things out and finding common ground.
At its core, this business isn’t just about fitness.
It’s about filling a need. “Since the tornado from a few years back, our town has been lacking an appropriate place for people to maintain or reach their health goals,” she said.
Now, they’re helping change that.
And the community has noticed.
Even before opening, people were asking when the doors would be ready. Now, memberships are already growing, and the support continues to show up, just like it always has.
For anyone who might feel nervous about stepping into a gym for the first time, Lakyn has a simple message: “Don’t be. Every member of a gym was once a person who walked in for the first time.”
In a town that shows up for its people, Off the Leash Fitness and Nutrition is more than just a new business.
For Lakyn and Austin, it’s about building something together in a place that has already given them so much.
