Grafton Anytime Fitness hopes it can survive COVID-19
Ed O’Toole takes a look around the vacant Anytime Fitness, which he hoped to reopen this week. PHOTO BY JENNIFER LORD PALUZZI 
Antibacterial supplies, face masks, and information on social distancing is laid out in greeting at Anytime Fitness. PHOTO BY JENNIFER LORD PALUZZI 
Purple tape marks off the machines that cannot be used due to social distancing. PHOTO BY JENNIFER LORD PALUZZI 
Ed O’Toole explains Anytime Fitness’ plans to maintain social distancing, including limiting customers to just 10 at a time. PHOTO BY JENNIFER LORD PALUZZI 
This is supposed to be a happy story about the reopening of a Grafton business, full of the pep and energy that only exercise enthusiasts denied their local gym can bring.
This, unfortunately, is not that story.
“We’re Phase III,” Anytime Fitness owner Ed O’Toole says into the phone, face mask momentarily pulled down. “It’s not going to happen. Not today.”
O’Toole stowed his cell phone and pulled up the black mask with the Anytime Fitness logo. The room around him is spotlessly clean, each machine sparkling. There’s likely not even a fingerprint in the place. O’Toole and his co-owner wife, Michelle, spent the weekend marking off sections 8 feet apart for each exercise station, placing purple tape across the treadmills that will be shut down to maintain social distancing.
There are stations for hand sanitizer around the room. Antibacterial wipes are stocked to wipe down each piece of equipment after use. There are even masks identical to O’Toole’s waiting for clients who want to exercise responsibly, in style.
“I guess it was wistful thinking more than anything,” he says. “But my position all along is that we’re a smaller, boutique-style facility vs. a big-box fitness center. We’re only 6,000 square feet. If we allow 10 people in, max, continue to wipe down, wear masks, stay 8 feet apart — I think that’s responsible.”
The gym shut down on St. Patrick’s Day as part of the statewide effort to curb the COVID-19 pandemic. The O’Tooles throughly cleaned and disinfected the place, confident they’d be back in business in no time. They suspended member billing, threw away personal item equipment like boxing gloves and mats, and arranged to have several classes continue virtually.
Some members were even able to borrow equipment for at-home workouts. That was serendipitous — with the new setup, there just isn’t room.
“We have had no revenue stream since March,” O’Toole says.
The state announced a detailed three-phase plan to re-open businesses on Monday, setting three weeks between each phase to ensure that cases of COVID-19 continue to decline. Fitness centers are Phase III, which means the first member probably won’t be walking through the door until sometime in June.
When that does happen, they will use an app to make appointments for workout times (no more than 10 members in the gym, always). Social distance, and wear masks. And always, always, make sure they wipe down equipment and use hand sanitizer — frequently.
After all, the gym has always been a stickler for cleanliness. And there’s a stock room now filled with boxes of wipes and sanitizer.
“I’ve had calls all morning,” O’Toole said, “‘Are you opening? Are you opening soon?’ Fingers crossed, that will be happening. We’re looking forward to getting some familiar faces back in.”
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