Jessica and AJ Alt bought the gym, located at 265 Benedict Avenue across from Fisher Titus Medical Center, and say that members don’t need to worry about wholesale changes. The only planned changes are to add new body scanners and a few basic cosmetic fixes around the club.
It should be a smooth transition with Jessica having worked at Anytime Fitness for the past eight years and managing the operations. She said the reason she and her husband bought the gym Jan. 1 was because of her passion for fitness, and to ensure the members would have their gym for years.
“I just have a passion for health and fitness and helping others in their body transformations,” Jessica said. “It is like one big family here … we have met so many great people in the club and I can’t imagine ever leaving — it’s family. Huron County has one of the highest rates of obesity in the area and we wanted to be sure they have a gym here for a long time.”
The Alts do have expansion in mind for the future. They would like to add another 2,000 square feet in gym space, and at some point, another wing for childcare. They admit that it is off in the future and have no current plan in place. But if all goes well that is their hope.
“With Fisher Titus owning the property, I’m not sure how likely or unlikely it is, but we definitely would like to add on in the future,” Alt said. “The extra floor space would be great for bringing in more equipment, but just having a baby (seven months ago) myself, I am now able to fully appreciate how difficult it is for mothers with small children to get a workout in. They are working full-time jobs, taking care of their houses and children and sometimes that doesn’t allow for a lot of time to take care of yourself. I would love to have something on-site to make it easier for them to do that.”
Alt wants members of the gym and the entire community to know one thing — even though the ownership has changed, the staff is still the same, the members are still the same and she will be there doing the same things that she has always done. But she will just have a few extra tasks added to her routine.
“The ownership group was a group of nine people that were absolutely amazing people to work for,” Alt added. “They will still be here and the members will still see them around the gym. The only difference will be that our roles have reversed.
“I am thankful for everything they have done for me and my family over the years,” she continued. “Without them, we would have never had the chance to own an Anytime Fitness and I am grateful for them giving us this opportunity.
“At Anytime Fitness in Norwalk, we have a motto, ‘making health happen, deciding on helping to help other’s along the way,’ we truly care about the members here.”
