Tri-Cities gyms to stay open during shutdown — as temporary wellness centers

Club 24 fitness centers are remaining open even after Gov. Jay Inslee announced Sunday new restrictions that will last for four weeks, including prohibiting indoor activities for gyms and fitness centers.

Club 24 with six locations in the Tri-Cities area and 11 in the Northwest said on its website that Tawtnuk Wellness Institute will be operating all its gyms as wellness clinics for the duration of the closure.

Tawtnuk Wellness Institute and Club 24 are owned by Orien “OJ” Fiander who also owns Columbia Fitness in Kennewick.

The Institute promotes itself as being founded in Native American wellness and converting health clubs, gyms and fitness centers into wellness centers.

A message and email left with Club 24 by the Herald was not immediately returned Tuesday, and Fiander could not be reached.

The locations in Tri-Cities are Union Street in Kennewick, Hanson Park in Kennewick, in Pasco near Broadmoor mall, Richland on Gage Boulevard, West Richland and in Benton City.

Club 24 isn’t the first Tri-City gym to rebrand as a wellness center during the pandemic. The Tri-City Court Club became the Pacific Clinic in August after having been closed since March.

The main difference is that Club 24 stated that when indoor gym activities are allowed, the facilities will return to normal operations. Tri-City Court Club has said its transition is permanent.

The message on Club 24’s website read:

“This shutdown isn’t what we wanted but we understand the necessity for all of us to do a little more in stopping this pandemic. Physical fitness is vital to your physical and mental health, yet we are being asked to close our doors again while high-contact retailers that do nothing for your health and wellness, nor do they follow the cleaning and sanitization regimens we do, yet they stay open.”

To enter a Club 24, members will have to have a referral or prescription from a health care provider, complete an intake form with COVID screening questions, do a temperature check upon arrival and masks will be required.

Showers, saunas, tanning beds, drinking fountains and some high-contact equipment will be unavailable.