Elmhurst Orangetheory Fitness open for business in Addison Parking Deck

ELMHURST – Mike Kessler waited more than a year to open an Orangetheory Fitness in Elmhurst because he wanted to be part of the community.

Located at 135 N. Addison Ave., Suite 100, the Orangetheory gym is the first tenant in the new Addison Avenue parking deck that recently opened in downtown Elmhurst.

Kessler debuted his first Orangetheory about two years ago in Wheaton. His experience was so rewarding, he decided to look for another location.

“We knew right away that we wanted to expand because it makes us feel good being in here,” Kessler said.

He decided that Elmhurst was a good fit for Orangetheory because he could easily reach the commuting clientele.

“I used to commute into the city, so I would take the Metra Union Pacific West line from Wheaton, and I just knew that Elmhurst was one of the best commuter towns,” Kessler said.

He looked at various Elmhurst locations, but nothing seemed as good as a first-floor vacancy in the Addison Avenue parking deck. The only problem was the garage didn’t exist when he bought the rights to open in Elmhurst, so he had to wait a year and a half to finally open Orangetheory to the community

“I always envisioned the commuters and having the opportunity to be in the parking garage is awesome,” Kessler said. “I think we just knocked it out of the park with this spot.”

For Kessler, the location enables commuters who park in the garage to exercise before or after work without driving anywhere else.

“I don’t know of any other Orangetheory in Illinois that has a facility where people can park and not have to walk out into the elements,” Kessler said. “They park in the garage and just come right inside. It’s an awesome asset.”

Kessler also has been pleasantly surprised with how the community has embraced Orangetheory. After the parking deck’s grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 25, city officials and residents stopped by the gym.

“Since we are the first tenant in the parking garage, they were pretty excited to celebrate us as part of the garage opening,” Kessler said.

He’s also made a point of participating in community events such as the Dan Gibbons Turkey Trot and the City Centre Halloween trick or treating.

Even though Orangetheory Fitness is an international brand, the philosophy behind it is of local inclusion.

According to studio manager Trista Bohaczyk, the difference with other gyms is that every session is meant for people of all different fitness levels. This is accomplished by giving each person a heart rate monitor and motivating them to reach a certain level for as long as possible.

“The reason we can put all different people into one class together is because it is based on your own individual efforts and on your own individual heart rate,” Bohaczyk said. “Here you are going to see some people who are really conditioned and some people who are working out for the very first time.”

What is important is that each person put forth the same amount of effort, relative to their physical condition.

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Orangetheory Fitness in Elmhurst

Address: 135 N. Addison Ave., Suite 100

Phone: 331-642-1500

Open Monday through Sunday; classes start at 5 a.m.