Politics & Government

Coming Soon: Anytime Fitness

The 24-7 gym and fitness center is opening in half of the former Chen's Buffet

Construction has begun on Anytime Fitness, a 24-hour-a-day gym and fitness center, in half of the former Chen’s Buffet, in the Stop & Shop plaza.

Owner Dawn Gilday, who lives in Old Lyme, says the location is perfect: It's near Stop & Shop, GNC Nutrition Center, Olympic Sports and Weight Watchers. Access from Route 2A and Interstate 395 doesn’t hurt, either.

The 4,000-square-foot space is also ideal for an Anytime Fitness franchise, says Gilday.

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“We don’t want a big box gym,” she says.

The fitness center will have weights, cardio machines like elliptical trainers, treadmills and more. It will have strength training, personal training and classes with instructors at set times.

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But if you want a class when non is scheduled, Gilday says, there’s a kiosk with all sorts of virtual training programs. You pick the class you want, a screen comes down from the ceiling, and you’re off.

Gilday is reluctant to quote a price over the phone, but says it’s less than a cup of coffee a day.

Her hesitancy comes from the fact that she wants people to come in and talk about their goals, see what they really want to do, and what they really can do.

And, she says, “I will offer special pricing when I first open. I will also offer additional reduced pricing to you for any referrals you give.”

Right now, Gilday says, she is offering her lowest membership fees, and she is using the storefront near the tanning salon for pre-registration.

When you join, it’s a year’s commitment – and that’s important, Gilday says.

“It’s too easy to walk away,” she says.

But if you’re intent on getting in shape, Anytime Fitness offers some interesting alternatives:

  • The gym is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
  • Thirty days from when you sign up, she says, you can work out at any of the 1,600 Anytime Fitness centers across the country.
  • When you join, you get access to Anytime Health, a program that tracks your workout and diet, and allows you to discuss relevant topics with other AF members and personal trainers.

Gilday got into fitness when she began doing physique competitions.

“It’s not quite body-building,” she says. “More like Miss America with muscles.”

She won the New York competition in 2010, and has competed in spots across the country, from Las Vegas to Boston.

“It was just a hobby,” she says, “and from there it turned to a lifestyle, the training and the eating, and now I want to show everybody else that they can do the same.”

You can follow the progress of the construction on the club's Facebook page - Anytime Fitness Uncasville - or twitter @afuncasville. The company’s website is AnytimeFitness.com.

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