Children’s blocks arranged on a counter to spell “The Campus.”
Children’s blocks arranged on a counter to spell “The Campus.”

Case Study: Financing for growth and development

Kids First facility expansion creates room to grow

Overview

Kids First Family of Companies had a more than 30-year history of growth in the gymnastics, sport, and childhood development space. And yet, when they prepared for another chapter of expansion, they struggled to find a bank that offered the best lending solutions for the construction project. First Financial Bank not only had the right loan packages, but they became a trusted financial partner.

The Problem

Kids First started as a gymnastics center in 1975 founded by Jeff Metzger, a local gymnast and coach. The company has seen decades of steady growth, requiring five different instances of constructing the largest custom-built facilities in the USA for their time. As the organization grew, so did its programming. The company’s mission is “to do great things for kids and to help kids grow into happy, healthy, responsible adults.” Programming gradually added to the gymnastics training to include swimming, dance, cheer, and early childhood education.

In 2013, the early learning program — called The Campus at Kids First — was held in a 5,000 SF area located within the larger athletic facility. The program earned a reputation for its high-quality care and education, and enrollment grew. Co-Founder of The Campus, Joanie Weghorst, described how in just five years, it was clear that a larger facility would be needed to be able to reach more children in the Cincinnati community.

Despite their 30-year history, the process of finding loan packages for their next construction project proved more challenging than expected. Many institutions offered a variety of options, but none felt like the right fit. At least, not until First Financial Bank.

Banking with First Financial

“I had some loan packages that had been offered to me, but the packages really didn’t suit our needs,” explains Jeff. “After the introduction with First Financial Bank, I knew I’d found my bank.”

The timing could not have been better. During the process of exploring construction loan solutions, Kids First became a commercial banking client in 2019, taking advantage of corporate deposit accounts. Then the 2020 coronavirus pandemic hit. Jeff speaks highly of his bankers and how they worked with him through a time of such uncertainty. While most of the education industry was in the dark, Jeff describes feeling well educated about his options and how to take advantage of opportunities like PPP loans that kept his business afloat.

As the situation settled, Kids First was able to return to planning their expansion, and First Financial Bank was more than ready to make the dream a reality.

“It’s really great when you can work with businesses that truly have an impact,” reflects Relationship Manager Aaron Mackris, whose own children had benefited from the gymnastics programming at Kids First. He worked with Kids First every step of the way, as Jeff will attest.

“It was a very smooth process, with really never a hiccup,” said Jeff. The updated Campus at Kids First opened in spring of 2024. The brand-new 21,000 SF facility features 14 classrooms for infants through Pre-K students, as well as a spacious central indoor play court for gross motor skill development. This construction project has allowed Kids First to serve hundreds more children.

Jeff describes this project as an illustration of how the right partners can bring out the best in each other.

I am very confident that our habit of constantly changing, making things better, growing every day, will continue going into the future. It’s very comforting having a bank like First Financial Bank that can help us with that growth.