Swim school to expand to Sioux Falls
June 13, 2018
SafeSplash Swim School is coming to Sioux Falls.
The Colorado-based company was founded by competitive swimmer Matt Lane in 2005 and offers swimming lessons in a retail setting.
The Sioux Falls location will be in a retail center under construction at 85th Street and Minnesota Avenue in front of Walmart.
“This is a good example of the change in retail uses. People are being service-minded, and businesses are coming up with ways to innovate,” said Raquel Blount of Lloyd Cos., who leased the space.
“This offers families an easier way to teach their children to swim. It caters to convenience.”
Swim schools are growing nationwide and often locating in neighborhood retail centers.
SafeSplash has about 140 locations and offers year-round swimming lessons for kids and adults, although most students are age 3 to 7. Classes are held in a warm water environment with small groups of about four, and kids can graduate into competitive programs.
There also are swim camps, open swim times and the capacity for birthday parties.
Olympic champion swimmer Missy Franklin is a brand partner and helped design the curriculum. It uses certified instructors and a so-called SafeSplash Match approach to match student needs with instructor strengths. The goal is to create a fun experience that helps students become “safe, happy, confident, lifelong swimmers,” according to the company’s website.
“I think it’s a perfect location,” Blount said. “You can come to a controlled environment, have shopping and food options with Walmart right next door and Aldi on the way. You can drop your child off for a swim lesson, pick up what you need, and with all the housing in the area, it’s becoming a growing neighborhood hub.”
SafeSplash is scheduled to open before the end of the year.