New gym aims to please in downtown Palmer

PALMER — One woman’s dream has finally become a reality — and for many others, that reality is an inspiration to get back in shape.

Anne Thomas, owner of Body in Balance Physical Therapy and Active Soles Performance Footwear in Palmer, said the new Active Body Downtown Gym “completes the circuit” of businesses that encourage lifestyle fitness and body maintenance.

“I deal a lot with people in rehabilitation, and I also love to work with people who are just getting stronger, wanting to have a vibrant, healthy lifestyle, and this gym just kind of pulled it together for me,” she said at the grand opening on Friday.

About 50 people filed into the basement of the Koslosky Building for the event, finding a hidden gem behind the heavy steel door at the bottom of the stairs. The dimly lit reception area and hallway speaks more of a small hotel lobby than the dungeon some might have expected, and opens up to a bright and colorful room with treadmills, weights and strength machines. To the right of this area is a similarly lit spin cycle room, and to the left another dim but calming, soft-surface room for yoga and rip cord exercises.

After talking with Active Body trainer Alisa Kincaid about what’s available, Palmer resident Tracy Driskill said she was excited to start her new workout regimen with a familiar face.

“I’ve been looking for a new gym … and I’ve known Alisa forever,” she said.

For Driskill’s friend, Joann Wise, location was the biggest selling point.

“I like to support something that’s local,” she said. “We’ve gotta keep Palmer going.”

Wise said she was also interested in the class “You still got it,” which begged her to ask herself, “do I?”

“I don’t know but I think maybe I could get it back,” she said.

The overarching opinion of event attendees seemed to be that the people who run the place make all the difference. Wise, who hasn’t been a member of a gym in years, said she thought she might be more comfortable at Active Body than other facilities in the Valley, and Driskill said she liked the “hometown feeling” given off by the new gym.

Similarly, Perri Lajoie of Palmer said she’s looking forward to a different atmosphere than the one provided by her current gym.

“It’s gonna be a different culture here,” she said.

Palmer Chamber of Commerce member Susan Fouch said she too was excited to be a part of a place that’s more her style. Though her kids seem to like the MTA Sports Center for team activities and individual workouts, she has felt self-conscious there, at least in the weight room.

“I’m 40-plus — I want a place where I can feel comfortable,” she said.

Though Fouch is expecting a more middle-aged, less sculpted crowd at Active Body, it’s not exclusively geared toward that demographic.

Active Body employee Nick Blohm, a recent college graduate, said the gym is for anyone looking to exercise practical fitness, which isn’t always available.

“I think that gets lost in the world of body building and power lifting,” he said.

But with people like Thomas on board, Blohm said, perhaps the art of healthy living will make a bigger comeback.

“Anne’s done a really good job of bringing a lot of people together,” he said.

Thomas said that’s pretty much the point.

“More than just come in, do your workout and go away and do what you do, we want to be a part of people’s lives and to be in the community. We want … to have them feel that we would be there for them.”

Active Body Downtown Gym is open Monday through Saturday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Memberships range from $45 to $55 per month per person. Discounts for seniors and students are also available.

For more information, call 746-3700, visit activebodyak.com or find them on Facebook.

Contact reporter Caitlin Skvorc at 352-2266 or caitlin.skvorc@frontiersman.com.