Staying in shape is easier than ever for Dowagiac residents, as downtown’s new FitStop gym has recently opened its doors to members.

The Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce hosted a grand opening ceremony for the business Thursday afternoon, with several chamber members and city officials in attendance for the ribbon cutting. Representing the chain of 24-hour fitness centers was Dave Spencer, manager of the Osceola location.

The grand opening caps off several months of work from management to get the location up and running. Based out of Indiana, the downtown gym is FitStop’s first location in Michigan.

For local realtor Allexia Forburger, the opening also marks the end of her year-plus long to find a new inhabitant for the anchor building located at the corner of Front and Commercial streets, which started with the closing of the previous occupant, Red Raven, closed in 2013. From the beginning, she saw the potential that a round-the-clock gym could provide in the space, she said.

“It worked perfectly for what I thought the building could be used for, and it would be a perfect fit for town,” Forburger said.

Seeing the formerly vacant building transform into a fitness center in only a few months has been exciting for her to witness, she said.

“It’s great. I’m excited about the opening,” she said. “I joined the gym myself. It’s going to be good for the town.”

Forburger and the realty company she works for, D. MottL Realty Group, will also be opening a location nearby soon, inside the former Headliners building on Front Street. Forburger will serve as the Managing Associate broker of the Dowagiac branch.

FitStop is still in the midst of renovations to the second floor of the new gym, which will serve as space for group exercise classes, such as Zumba and yoga.

For membership or additional information, contact FitStop at (574) 272-2222.