After seven years at their North Ashland Avenue location, Lexington personal training company Fitness Plus has moved around the corner to 831 National Ave., in the warehouse that formerly housed Henry Brown Bags. The space was divided and also houses Always Planned, a wedding and event planning service.
Fitness Plus, which owner Sheila Kalas likens to a wellness co-op, offers a variety of wellness services, including 15 personal trainers, massage therapy and acupuncture. The business serves as an order and pick-up location for Brookview Farms’ grass-fed beef and farm-fresh eggs, and physical therapy and cardiology services will soon be available at the facility as well.
Kalas, the longtime fitness columnist for Chevy Chaser magazine, started Fitness Plus in 1995, and moved to North Ashland in 2004, which she says was a bit of a “leap of faith,” as that part of Kenwick didn’t yet have the reputation of a burgeoning business district that it does now, thanks in large part to efforts by developers Walker Properties.
“I was one of the original ones in that neighborhood,” Kalas said, adding that she’s enjoyed watching Walker Properties’ concept bloom. “I thought, ‘Well, I’ll jump on the bandwagon and still stay in the neighborhood, but move to a new space.’”
The interior of the 3,200-square-foot space was designed by Blake Eames, and maintains a very contemporary design, with an industrial skylight, rafters and a polished concrete floor. It’s also home to the Kentucky Association of Wellness Professionals, which Kalas and fellow trainer Kelly Cecil founded in 2011. The membership association works to encourage state officials to legislate accreditation and licensing programs for personal trainers and other professionals who offer wellness services. Cecil, who was formerly located on Winchester Road has also moved his personal training services under the roof of Fitness Plus.
Kalas estimates nearly 80 percent of her clientele live in the Chevy Chase area, and she intends to stay put in the 40502 zip code indefinitely. To that end, she signed a 10-year contract with Walker Properties to secure her spot in the neighborhood.
“I don’t want to leave the neighborhood, and while my business might change some, I feel comfortable that I will always have a wellness business in 40502,” she said. “I’m happy for that to be my home for a long time to come.”
For more information on Fitness Plus, call (859) 269-9280 or visit www.FitPlusInc.com.