What new business is replacing this well known Somers Point furniture store

Anytime there are changes to a local business in South Jersey, I always see numerous people commenting on social media with questions and speculation.

In Somers Point, there has been a makeover with multiple businesses changing ownership, and some properties going through makeovers in the last few years. What used to be a Rite Aid at the corner of Groveland Avenue and Route 9 South will be reopening as an Aldi Grocery store after a major reconstruction project is complete.

Down the road is another property that is has new ownership on Route 9 in Somers Point. Across the street from AutoZone used to be a popular Furniture Store that permanently closed after 30 years.

Who Is Moving Into The Old Furniture Store Building in Somers Point?

The major makeover on Route 9 is halfway complete with the old business signage being removed and the exterior undergoing a new paint job. If you drive past 514 Route 9 in Somers Point, you will see people working in the building day and night.

Mainland Regional High School Graduate Dave Klemic is the new owner of the property, and he is bringing his Klemic Performance Method from his old facility on Fire Road in Egg Harbor Township to the new location in Somers Point.

A member of the Mainland Regional Football team that won the 1996 South Jersey Group III Title, Dave Klemic went on to play football at Northeastern University. While there, he set the school records for most pass catches (217), touchdown receptions (41), and Receiving Yards (3419).

Klemic spent four years with the Kansas City Chiefs, but a series of injuries, including a broken leg, derailed his Professional Football career. Over the last 20 years, he has become one of the top performance trainers for High School, College, and Professional Athletes.

Klemic Performance Method alumni includes 10-year NFL Defensive Tackle Austin Johnson, NCAA Swimming Champion Destin Lasco, 15-year NHL Defenseman Dennis Seidenberg, 10-year NFL Defensive End Jack Crawford, and current Arizona Cardinals starting Cornerback Max Melton.

Dave Klemic tells Josh Hennig at 973 ESPN South Jersey that his plans are to use the entire property, not just the old furniture store, to accommodate more students and training at Klemic Performance Method:

"The new location will have a whole new sections called Plyometric and Individualized stations; This is where we can really tailor the lessons to be more specific to the specific student's sport or position. Unlike our old location, we will have a (KPM) store, a parent lounge, and more parking (than the old location).
This building is twice the size of our previous 4,000 square foot facility that Klemic Performance Method has been operating out of in Egg Harbor Township. There will be brand new Men's and Women’s bathrooms on site - Everything in this is new space will have state-of-the-art (equipment). We will have an online program launching simultaneously with the opening of the new facility with new software that is super dynamic. It will track and chart all the training data, and (every student's) progress."

For Dave Klemic, this new property has been a part of his vision his business since the beginning. But he admits that he was was consumed with working with students and talking to parents, that the dream of a bigger property became an afterthought until it became absolutely necessary:

"I was so busy convincing people that what I was preaching actually worked, that training every student was my primary focus. Then my focus was to show the data to people, proving that what I was doing was working. So I was just happy where I was at helping everyone achieve their goals, that (when) the doors blew off our first location with so many students, I knew I needed more space."

Klemic tells 973 ESPN South Jersey that the plan is to have a Grand Opening of the new facility in April, but he wants to make sure everything is on point before opening the doors to the public. The exact opening date has not been set yet but his team is working day and night to permanently convert the property from the old furniture store space into the Klemic Performance Method Training Facility.