Fitness Together Reading celebrates 20 years with community ribbon cutting
(3-4 minute read)
Fitness Together Reading, a local training studio celebrating its 20th anniversary in the community. Photo provided by Tom Lavoie.
A longtime local fitness studio is marking a major milestone this week. Fitness Together Reading will celebrate 20 years in the Reading community with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, March 6, 2026, from 2-5 pm alongside the Reading-North Reading Chamber of Commerce.
Community members are invited to stop by the celebration, which will include snacks, refreshments, and live music, as they reflect on two decades of helping residents pursue healthier lifestyles.
A studio built on personal training
The Fitness Together Reading staff outside the studio. Photo provided by Tom Lavoie.
Fitness Together Reading first opened it doors in 2006 with a mission to create a more supportive and individualized fitness environment. Unlike traditional gyms, the studio focuses exclusively on private and small-group personal training, allowing clients to receive customized programs and one-on-one guidance.
Owner Tom Lavoie purchased the business in 2009 after several years working in the fitness industry as an athletic trainer and strength coach. Over the past 17 years, he says, the goal has remained consistent: building a welcoming environment centered on relationships, accountability, and sustainable health habits.
“In an industry that often focuses on short-term trends, what has kept the studio going is the consistency of the community that has formed around it.”
Many clients have trained at the studio for years, with some remaining members for more than a decade.
Long-term health over quick fixes
Staff from Fitness Together Reading take part in a team-building outing. Photo provided by Tom Lavoie.
Fitness Together’s model centers on individualized programming tailored to each client’s needs and goals. Trainers work closely with participants to address injuries, maintain accountability, and develop routines that support long-term health and wellness.
For Lavoie, staying directly involved in that process remains important. Even after nearly two decades of ownership, he continues to personally train clients at the studio, maintaining close connections with both staff and members.
The work, he says, often extends beyond individual results.
Over the years, the studio has seen families join together, training spouses, parents, and even kids, creating what Lavoie describes as a “trickle-down effect” of healthier lifestyles throughout households.
Giving back to the community
Kali the pup helps support a community fundraiser at Fitness Together Reading’s community fundraising efforts with the Unitarian Church in Reading. Photo provided by Tom Lavoie.
Community service has also been a key part of the studio’s identity.
Each year, Fitness Together organizes a holiday gift drive through the Unitarian Church in Reading, collecting presents for families supported by the Department of Children and Families. Participation in the drive has grown steadily over time.
The studio also hosts a breast cancer fundraising drive supported by Dana-Farber and conducts at least two food drives per year for the Reading Food Pantry.
Join the anniversary celebration
As the studio reaches its 20-year anniversary, Lavoie says the milestone is less about the business itself and more about the people who have made it possible.
“We’re grateful to have been part of the Reading community for two decades. This community has given us so much, and we are excited to celebrate this milestone with our clients, neighbors, and the Chamber.”
Residents are encouraged to stop by the studio on March 6 between 2 and 5 pm to celebrate the anniversary and learn more about the programs that have supported hundreds of local clients over the years.
