Studio Lakeville to move fitness to Interlaken Inn

LAKEVILLE — Studio Lakeville is a beautiful building at the intersection of the roads to Millerton,  Salisbury and Sharon, in Lakeville. Once the old firehouse, with three large opening doors, now windows, the building was refurbished by contractor Seth Churchill.

Its current use is as a gym, physical fitness center and café. As Studio Lakeville and the Green Café, the 2,000-square-foot facility opened in 2018 under the direction of Leslie Eckstein, as a gym and personal training center also offering spin classes and massage therapy as well as the café’s wholesome food and beverages.

All went well until COVID-19 hit. Eckstein, a veteran of personal training, had to close the gym and the classes ceased. Undeterred, Eckstein introduced online classes, 95% of which are still in operation. She used a truck to rent out her equipment to locals. At the time the gym had approximately 300 members.

This was not to be the end of her problems. Last year a consortium from New York City bought the Lakeville building, intending to use it as a restaurant. So far, no details have emerged as to what use the building is to be put to, but Eckstein tenaciously held onto her lease.

The gym is to remain open until the end of September, though the café will close at the end of August.

With a strong sense of determination, Eckstein is going to re-open the gym at the Interlaken Inn and Resort in Lakeville. She has held fast to her dream of fitness training since the age of 15 when, at high school, she led a class in step aerobics. She is dedicated to her community. Most of those she takes for personal training sessions are elderly.

“I want to keep people feeling young, maintaining the quality of life and to be able to age gracefully” she said, adding she’s training to be an aesthetician and to offer facials and skin care to her clients.

Eckstein’s facility at the Interlaken will be open to the public as members or for a daily fee and will include classes, personal training, a regular gym and massage. It will open in October.