The Iron Office, a locally owned and family-operated gym in Downtown Swift Current, operates with one goal – making fitness accessible to everyone.
Owner Hayden Cappelle started working at the Iron Office in 2018, eventually purchasing the business in 2021. Since taking over, Cappelle has made quite a few changes, including bringing in new, top-of-the-line equipment, expanding the gym to the second floor, and adding a boxing room. The Iron Office also partners with Twist of Fate to provide various fitness classes like Zumba, Yoga, and more.
While improving the space and equipment is an important goal for Cappelle, the underlying motivation for it all is to give people a comfortable space to improve their fitness.
“We want all types of people, whatever their interests are, to be able to improve their fitness, feel better, and have a community they can rely on. Every decision we make goes from there,” he said.
Cappelle has always had a passion for fitness, having spent many of his younger years at the gym with his parents. He quickly learned how fitness could positively impact many areas of your life.
“I got started at the gym because my parents were in bodybuilding and at the gym a lot. I know how much fitness has improved my own life, and it became a really big passion for me. So I wanted to be able to help others find that passion as well. My biggest motivation is when I hear from members that our gym is their happy place or their second home where they can get away from life’s stresses for a time each day,” he said.
He continued, “It doesn't matter if you're not really a gym person. Wherever you’re starting from, you can only improve, whether that’s through physical changes, mental health changes, reducing stress, or building confidence. It all makes a difference. You don’t need a super complicated routine. It’s just finding that motivation and having fun while you’re doing it.”
One of the biggest barriers for people who want to establish their fitness routine is the costly gym memberships. If you have a busy schedule, can’t afford a full membership, or live out of town, it can be difficult to make that commitment. To make the gym more accessible for more people, the Iron Office offers punch cards as well as family discount memberships to make multiple memberships affordable for the average family.
“You can purchase a punch card that has ten passes on it, and it works out to about $3 per visit,” said Cappelle. “It never expires, and you can get into the gym at your own pace without feeling like you’re losing out on anything if a busy schedule or sickness interrupts your routine for a time.”
With the success of their recent expansion and new equipment additions, Cappelle has a positive outlook for the future of The Iron Office.
“We are always working to make improvements,” he said. “Right now, we are working on getting our clothing store more stocked up and hoping to get some cycling classes going sometime in the future. Each month, there will always be something different to check out.”
Check out The Iron Office at 240 1st Avenue NE.
Website | Facebook | Instagram