FasTan opens in Albion with women’s gym
Photos by Tom Rivers: Ashley Casanova is pictured with a tanning bed at Casanova's FasTan and FiTness, which opened on March 1 on Main Street in Albion. She acquired the tanning bed and also gym equipment from Xpress Fitness.
ALBION – A women-only gym and tanning bed opened on Main Street in Albion on March 1.
Xpress Fitness closed in December after about a decade of business. Lynn Bensley ran a popular site at 116 North Main St. with exercise equipment, a sauna and tanning bed. She wanted to step back from the demands of that business.
Ashley Casanova in August purchased Bensley’s tanning and exercise equipment and opened Casanova’s FasTan and FiTness. She is using one of the two storefronts from Xpress Fitness. The Downtown Browsery expanded into the other space.
Casanova, a Lyndonville resident, is thankful for the opportunity to open a FasTan in Albion and offer the gym as well. In August, she acquired the FasTan in Medina from Kim Lockwood at 627 West Ave.
“In Medina we have many clients from Albion for tanning,” Casanova said on Saturday. “The gym part wasn’t part of the plan, but we moved ahead after a lot of praying.”
Ashley Casanova said the women-only gym offers a comfortable place for ladies to exercise.
Casanova last fall graduated from the Microenterprise Assistance Program through the Orleans Economic Development Agency. She also completed an associate’s degree last year from Bryant and Stratton College.
She sees the gym as a big positive for women in the community, who don’t want to be in a co-ed facility while exercising.
“This is more private and women want to feel comfortable,” she said. “It makes a lot of women feel good and they can be comfortable.”
Casanova praised her husband Jose for his support with the two locations. She also has started a new college degree program, working towards an online ministry degree through Ohio Christian University.
Casanova on Wednesdays will offer three workout sessions in Albion with Christian music and prayer.
She sees a higher purpose for the business.
“This will be my ministry,” she said.
