Tucked into a spacious former Big Lots in the Eastern Heights Shopping Center, EveryBODY Fitness has quietly become one of the area's most welcoming workout communities. In June of 2026, the gym will celebrate six years in business, a milestone that once felt far from guaranteed.

"When we first started this business, we didn't know if we were going to make it a year," said Anna Ford, Accountant/ Manager at EveryBODY Fitness. "People, when they signed up for a membership, they'd be like, 'Can I just pay it for the whole year?' And we said, 'Nope, you can't, because we don't know if we're going to be here in a year.'"

Six years later, they're not just surviving, they're thriving.

The gym's roots go back to a cardio club that once operated in Barboursville. When COVID threatened to shut it down for good, owner Melissa Lowe stepped in to save it. The name she chose (EveryBODY Fitness) says it all.

"She said 'I want everybody to have a place to work out,'" Ford explained. Melissa herself has long lived with rheumatoid arthritis, which shapes the gym's core philosophy: that fitness should be adaptable, accessible, and free of judgment. "She just wanted to have a space that everyone could do a workout, feel comfortable, and be able to modify it and make it what they needed it to be."

With around 70 classes offered each month and a roster of instructors that has doubled since opening day, EveryBODY Fitness has grown well beyond its humble beginnings. Ford is quick to credit the women who make it run. The gym is a women-owned and women-led operation, where every member balances this work alongside a full-time career.

"We all work full-time jobs. This is not our full-time job," Ford said. "Everyone works really hard to make it special."

The result is a gym where the relationships often outlast the workouts. "Most of my friends are because of this gym," Ford shared. "Whether it's from 10 years ago or two years ago."

At EveryBODY Fitness, keeping costs accessible is as central to the mission as the workouts themselves, because the doors aren't truly open if not everyone can afford to walk through them.

"There are other places that have fitness classes, but a lot of those places are a little bit more out of budget for some people," Ford noted. "We have tried to do whatever we can to offer really great fitness classes, but keep our prices competitive so that everyone has more opportunity to get in there."

The gym also makes a point to champion local businesses and nonprofits, a value that fits right in with Huntington's growing community spirit. "We have a lot of lovely businesses and restaurants that I really like to see," Ford said. "We love to support local businesses and nonprofits."

If you're looking for a signature event, look no further than EveryBODY Fitness's annual Cats on Mats yoga session, held each March in partnership with the Huntington Cabell-Wayne Animal shelter. This year's event was the biggest yet.

"We had like 80 people; the room was completely full," Ford said. Shelter cats and kittens roam the studio while participants flow through yoga poses. More than a few attendees have gone home with a new furry family member.

As EveryBODY Fitness heads into its next chapter, the team has its sights on expanding personal training, massage, and nutrition offerings. And of course, they'll be celebrating their sixth birthday in style with a party for members.

When asked what she hopes people remember about the gym years from now, Ford didn't hesitate: "All of the friendly faces. And of course, the amazing kick-butt workouts that just made you want to lay on the floor. But more than that, the friendly faces and the people that they met here."

Running a small business, she admits, is no small feat. At last year's Chamber birthday celebration, Ford shared a quote that stuck with her: "Running a small business is like jumping off a cliff and building your plane on the way down." But for EveryBODY Fitness, the landing has been worth it.

Instructor April Smith puts it best: "This place started out as something very small and has evolved into something amazing that we could have never dreamed of in the beginning. Small businesses are hard without community support. We would be nowhere and I'm so thankful that through community support and our members and instructors, we've been able to keep it going."

EveryBODY Fitness is located at 4341 US-60 Suite 101 C, Huntington, WV. They are open Monday and Wednesday from 9–10 AM and 4–7 PM, Tuesday and Thursday from 4–7 PM (with Thursday starting at 4:15), Friday from 5–6 PM, Saturday from 9 AM–12 PM, and Sunday from 2–3 PM.

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