Misfits JiuJitsu has a new home in St. Charles

Misfits Jiujitsu, a martial arts gym in St. Charles with an emphasis on safety and mental health, has moved into a bigger and better location.

Owner Brad Edmondson struggled with mental health problems for most of his life, but found serenity in sparring. Since 2022, he has been using his gym to create a safe space and strong community for those going through the same battles.

Misfits had been operating out of the gym at 1150 N. Fifth Ave. in St. Charles, since 2022, and moved into its new location at 3820 Ohio Ave. earlier this year.

The Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new location on Wednesday, April 16, and Misfits hosted a grand opening event a noon on Saturday, April 19 with a DJ and food truck on site.

Edmondson said Misfits has had a large influx of students in the past two years, so the bigger space was much needed, and is an incredible upgrade from the previous facilities.

Edmondson said while he loved his last gym, the new location took his operation from a hole-in-the-wall to what he thinks is one of the highest quality gyms in the state.

While he is incredibly excited about the new space, Edmondson said what meant the most to him was seeing the community he created show up to support him throughout the process.

Edmondson signed the lease at the end of last year and spent most of January remodeling. Misfits held their first classes in the new space on Feb. 1.

In addition to providing more than double the space of Misfits’ previous location, the new facility was already a fully furnished gym.

Edmondson said because the space was already built out, he was able to add several amenities that he would never have been able to otherwise. He added that the speed of the remodel wouldn’t have been possible without the help and support from several students, their families and other local business owners.

“The way everyone came together was incredible. All of these guys just offered to do these things to help because we’re building such a strong community,” Edmondson said. “It’s amazing, just so many people stepped up and I wouldn’t have been able to do half of what I did without everybody in the community.”

The sound system and plumbing were installed by students’ parents who works in tech and plumbing, the neon Misfits sign was made by a neighboring business of the last location, and several students and their families were in the gym helping him throughout the remodel process.

Edmondson said, in a way, trying to repay that support and help from the community is what drives him to make his gym the best it can possibly be.

“I never could’ve imagined I’d be at this stage right now,” Edmondson said. “I just keep trying to build on it to create a better product for my students, because at the end of the day, they deserve the best, so I’m going to make sure they get it.”

The facilities will have a sauna, a shower, two bathrooms, a UV disinfecting air filtration system, a merchandise shop, vending machines and a game room with a PlayStation 5. Edmondson also installed spring floors under the mats to increase safety and make sparring more fun.

Edmondson said even with membership more than doubling since 2023 to about 80 students, he can’t imagine ever outgrowing the new space. In addition to the new amenities, Misfits has expanded its programming since moving into the new facilities, adding new classes, more times, open mat sessions and more.

New classes include a Judo class, and a women’s only class on Sunday mornings, both taught by former students.

Edmondson said he is excited about how quickly his gym is growing and looking forward to bringing in new students, but is very cautious about how the gym grows. He said the most important thing to him is to make sure the community and culture he has built remains at the forefront of Misfits.

For more info, or to register for classes, call 630-615-9339 brad@misfitsjiujitsu.com