Fitness club to open in Bennington
Toolbox
By PATRICK McARDLE STAFF WRITER - Published: November 28, 2009
BENNINGTON – After more than two years as an unused space, a Depot Street storefront is being put back into use, as the home of a 24-hour fitness club.
Local contractor James "Jamie" Carey and his wife, Amy, both of Bennington, plan to open an Anytime Fitness club within the next 60 days.
The building was the home of Aubuchon Hardware until it closed in 2007. It continues to be owned by the Aubuchon company.
The Anytime Fitness concept, new to Bennington, is part of a chain of clubs in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York, as well as in other places in the United States, Canada and Australia. According to the company's Web site, the Bennington site will be the first in Vermont.
The club allows its members to work out at any time using a security-access card to enter the club and operate various pieces of equipment even when there is no staff member on the premises.
A video camera surveillance system keeps the building safe and guarantees that only members are using the equipment.
Jamie Carey said that was one of the features that appealed to him.
"For the last few months, I've started to talk to people about this and I've asked them, 'What would you think of a gym where you could work out anytime, 24 hours a day?' They think it's great because a lot of people want to work out but they simply don't have the time," he said.
Carey is originally from Pownal and went to Mount Anthony Union schools. He is a member of the high school's Class of 1988 and was co-captain of the football team and the baseball team his senior year. Both teams went on to the state championships.
It's no coincidence that Carey has gone from an athlete to owning his own fitness club.
While he said he has always stayed in shape through sports and as a contractor, he has had difficulty keeping up with training because that lifestyle "took a toll" on his body.
Carey has had problems with his knees, shoulders and, primarily, his back. But about a year and a half ago, Carey had back surgery that allowed him to be able to work out pain-free.
"I felt like a new man. I dropped 18 pounds. I feel fantastic. I haven't felt this good in 20 years. Now I want to be able to bring this feeling to other people in Bennington," he said.
As an owner and operator of the business, Carey said he plans to be at the gym as much as he can when it opens.
Carey's interest in the location was welcomed by staff of the town of Bennington. At a recent forum on economic development, several people discussed the importance of bringing businesses back to the western part of the downtown.
Anytime Fitness will be at a prominent location in Bennington, as one of the first businesses seen by visitors coming from New York, at the intersection of Main and Depot streets.
Community and Economic Development Director Scott Murphy said Carey had applied for money from the town's revolving loan fund that helps new businesses get their start.
Lawrence McLeod, building and safety inspector for the town, said he believed the gym did not need any permits because it was already a permitted use in a commercial area of town.
Carey hopes to have Anytime Fitness open by about the end of January. He has an advantage in converting the former hardware store to a fitness club because he plans to do the work himself.
Even without advertising, Carey said he has developed a list of about 240 people interested in signing up.
patrick.mcardle@rutland herald.com
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