This weekend we spend Veteran’s Day as a grateful nation celebrating those who have served our country. Here in New Bern, there is one veteran who gets to celebrate a milestone in his life. Clifford Morley and his girlfriend Katie Rinehart just opened a retail store; Elite Nutrition.
Both Morley and Rinehart are transplants from other states. The Marine Corps brought them to New Bern, but the community is what made them stay.
“New Bern is a hidden gem,” said Morley. “New Bern has been warm and welcoming and we’re ready to serve the community in health and wellness.”
Elite Nutrition was born out of a passion for fitness.
Morley and Reinhart have different motivations for pursuing fitness, but their love of the industry brought them together, and they began building an empire in the industry.
“I’ve been training and managing gyms for 11 years before I moved here,” said Reinhart. “Body building helped me to heal myself from eating disorders, and mental health issues, and being there myself and getting out of it, I want to help others do the same.”
Morley turned to bodybuilding after spending 12 years in the Marine Corps as a Low Altitude Air Defense Gunner and needing to find a purpose in the work he had been putting in.
“I would spend every day working out, but it was the same thing and there was no purpose to it,” said Morley. “In that time I went to a bodybuilding competition and fell in love with the sport. Started prep for my first show weeks later, and now we are getting ready for our 5th season.”
The retail store serves as a place where anybody wanting to take care of themselves can go and hang out, get questions answered and get help on their journey to health. Whether someone is starting out, or they’re an athlete honing in on their nutrition, Elite Nutrition is founded to be that resource for anybody. Both owners hold all the exercise and nutrition certifications, so their advice is backed up, in addition to drawing from their own experiences as well.
Elite Nutrition is currently operating under their soft opening, but be on the lookout for their grand opening coming this December. They are located in the shopping center near Planet Fitness at 2684 MLK Jr. Blvd., and this weekend, they will be participating in the grand opening of their neighboring gun shop.