PRESS RELEASE
In New Canaan the relaunch of HALO Fitness at 45 Grove Street offers a window into a curious cultural moment. HALO, a health and wellness complex which also houses the New Canaan Racquet Club, recently unveiled an ambitious upgrade. A 1,200-square-foot Turf Room now anchors the facility, joining a 5,800-square-foot renovated gym, revamped locker rooms, and an array of wellness services. The relaunch will be celebrated with a Wellness Weekend on February 8 and 9, a showcase of activities ranging from yoga and massage to kids’ soccer drills.
At first glance, HALO seems to embody the small-town gym ideal: a community hub where fitness enthusiasts can mingle and families can explore age-appropriate activities. But HALO’s new trajectory—a seamless integration of boutique fitness, sports training, and wellness services like chiropractic care and facials—reflects something larger: the combining of health and self-care.
In the past, a gym was just a gym: fluorescent-lit, unremarkable, and heavy on ellipticals. HALO’s evolution, however, aligns with an industry-wide transformation. Fitness spaces are no longer just about exercise; they are lifestyle centers catering to an increasingly segmented and specialized audience. The Turf Room, for example, offers agility and sports-specific training, while yoga classes cater to those seeking mindfulness. A massage studio and Pilates partner round out the package. In this sense, HALO mirrors the rise of the wellness economy, a $4.5 trillion industry that merges fitness, leisure, and personal optimization.
Eric Fromm, CEO of HALO Fitness, sees the relaunch as a way to meet these evolving demands. “Our mission is to create a space where people of all ages and abilities can pursue their health and wellness goals,” he said. To that end, HALO’s Wellness Weekend will offer free activities, such as yoga by Sama Yoga, facials from Catalina Skin & Body, and introductory turf training sessions. “We’re excited to show the community everything HALO has to offer,” Fromm added.
The centerpiece of HALO’s relaunch is the Turf Room, a functional training space that caters to athletes and general fitness enthusiasts alike. It is also a rarity in New Canaan, a town more associated with manicured lawns than artificial grass. For tennis players at the New Canaan Racquet Club, the Turf Room offers off-court conditioning. For others, it is a chance to push the limits of their workouts in a space specifically designed for performance training. Fromm describes it as a place where members can build strength, speed, and agility, all while improving overall athletic performance.
The integration of services under one roof is another hallmark of HALO’s approach. The building houses not just HALO Fitness but also Restore Massage Studio, Nearwater Pilates, New Canaan Chiropractic, and Matrix Personalized Medicine, among others. This ecosystem of wellness providers reflects an emerging trend: the consolidation of health services into boutique spaces that emphasize convenience, luxury, and personalization.
For members like Abby Lane, this all-encompassing approach makes HALO more than just a gym—it’s a community and a hub for holistic wellness. “It’s always been a convenient and welcoming place with excellent personal trainer options and a friendly staff,” says Abby, who has long valued the accessibility and supportive atmosphere that set HALO apart.
Membership at HALO comes with perks, including discounted services from wellness partners and a complimentary personal training session. A promotional offer through February 28 waives initiation fees for select memberships and reduces dues by up to 20%.
What is striking about HALO is how it captures the ethos of New Canaan itself. This is a town where tradition meets reinvention, where pastoral settings coexist with luxury amenities, and where wellness is both a communal aspiration and a personal responsibility. The relaunch of HALO Fitness is not just about fitness; it is about adapting to a world where families are increasingly investing in their health and bodies the way they might invest in real estate or education.
Whether HALO becomes a model for other small-town wellness hubs remains to be seen. For now, it is a microcosm of a larger cultural trend, one in which fitness and wellness are no longer just pursuits—they are carefully curated to fit the contours of modern life.
