ASHLAND — Tony Shaffer and his wife, Stephanie Shaffer, became members of A-Town Family Fitness about four years ago.
The gym was opened by Rachel Bowles in November 2021. The Shaffer’s took over ownership of A-Town Family Fitness in March 2025.
“We became members and just fell in love with the place,” said Tony Shaffer, who also coaches at the gym. “The opportunity arose, so we took over last year.”
About one year into owning the business, the husband and wife, along with their four children, family and friends, broke ground Friday afternoon on the gym’s new location.
Located at 1151 U.S. Route 250 N. in Ashland, the new location is less than half a mile from A-Town Family Fitness’ current facility.
Bowles said Friday she had reached a point where she was ready to pass the ownership torch. Along with being a mother to twin boys, she is also a hairstylist and actively involved with farming and managing rentals.
“I was ready to close the doors (to the gym) thinking nobody one wanted it,” Bowles said. “When I announced that, I had a couple of people come forward and when they (the Shaffers) came to me, I was very excited about it.
“They have been big anchors to our community with the friends they’ve made and the loyalty they’ve had to the gym,” she said. “I had trust in them that they were going to continue what I had already started.”
New gym could be completed as early as May
The process of constructing a new facility began in July of 2025, Tony Shaffer said.
“It’s been a long, drawn-out process. Nothing seemed to be going right at all. We’d take 10 steps forward and then 15 steps back,” he said.
After funding and permits were straightened out, it was time to begin building. No wood had touched the ground at the new site as recent as Tuesday, he said.
But progress was hard to miss Friday afternoon as laborers continued to work on the new gym’s framing and roof.
Stephanie Shaffer said the goal is to have the new facility completed by May.
“We should have more things to offer here than we do at the other gym. It will be a bigger area to work out in and we’ll have showers,” Tony Shaffer said.
The new facility will will include a kids room, too, Stephanie Shaffer said.
Below are more photos from Friday’s groundbreaking ceremony. Credit: Hayden Gray This story continues below.
A-Town Family Fitness offers training for all ages and experience levels. Its programs include group training, personal training and nutrition.
Ashland Mayor Matt Miller attended Friday’s groundbreaking and took a moment to speak about the business.
“Clearly, they are doing more than just helping people with their physical fitness,” Miller said. “They’re helping people with total wellness and that includes not only physical fitness, but mental fitness as well as spiritual fitness.
“That’s a pretty exciting thing to see people believe in your venture as much as you do.”