Interview with Alicia McCurley, Manager
I stopped in to see Alicia on a rainy Tuesday afternoon. Despite the time of day, there were quite a few people working out in the gym. Alicia told me that the senior exercise classes are particularly popular during the day. These classes have an intentionally low price ($5/class) in order to be accessible for those on fixed incomes. Also, if you are over 80-your gym membership and classes are completely free!
However, Hammerfit is not just a gym for seniors. Alicia emphasized that they want everyone to feel comfortable here: whether they are a seasoned bodybuilder, trying to lose a few pounds, or just want an excuse to socialize and get out of the house.
In addition to their main location, Hammerfit also occupies the former Puma storefront at the Essex Outlets. This space is used to give personal training clients and group fitness classes additional space and privacy. Hammerfit offers numerous fitness classes a week, including their most popular offering: Zumba. Over a dozen Zumba classes are offered each week, and some of their instructors have a cult-like following in the community.
Alicia lives in Essex with her husband and two sons. She has a fitness background and previously worked as a gymnastics coach. She started her job managing Hammerfit around five years ago and was happy to find something that allowed her to combine her administrative talents in an environment with a strong culture of wellness.
Why Essex? “We are positioned in a really great location. We get a lot of customers from the Jericho/Underhill area because we are the closest gym. There are also a lot of great businesses in the outlets that we can partner with.”
Have an idea for the weekly(ish) Why Essex? column? E-mail Darby Mayville at darby@essexjunction.org.