App brings enhancements to downtown Ottertail gym

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

Just because a person lives in a small town doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have access to a quality gym 24 hours a day—at least that is the hope of Jesse Wunderlich. On the site of the former Wiebe’s Garage in the heart of downtown Ottertail, Otter Fitness Garage has become a popular destination for local residents looking to get in shape and work out throughout the year.

With a membership roll of approximately 600-700 people in the summer alone, the local gym boasts an impressive list of people looking to get in shape, or make a healthy lifestyle a regular part of their life. 

Wunderlich purchased the gym with two of his high school friends in 2022 and became sole owner of the facility in early 2023. Since that time he has completed several upgrades at the facility to make working out even easier for people of all skill levels.

One of the biggest changes comes in the form of an app that people can use to enroll in classes, as well as renew their memberships. That’s not the only thing the Otter Fitness app can be used for either as Wunderlich said the app can be used to access the gym 24/7. While members are provided a key fob when they join the gym, Wunderlich said members can also join on the gyms website or through the app to gain access to the facility immediately and avoid having to wait for an office staff person to be in the facility to get a key. They can then use their phone as a key to get into the building. 

“You don’t even have to take a step into the gym and be able to access the facility,” said Wunderlich. “It’s running very smoothly so far.”

In addition to the new key system, Wunderlich said members can also book a private or group session online with a trainer. A variety of upcoming classes like yoga and strength training are also listed online. One thing that Wunderlich said sets Otter Fitness apart is the ability for people to register for group training classes, as opposed to just one-on-one training. That allows people to get the benefits of a trainer, while also cutting down on part of the cost.

“Instead of one-one-one there will be the ability to get a group of friends together to work out with a trainer,” said Wunderlich.

In addition to the technological upgrades to the facility, the Otter Fitness facility also boasts an impressive line up of weight training, cardio machines and plenty of options for members to stay in shape. 

Wunderlich said the facility is planning to have set staffed hours moving forward. He is testing out a variety of times to see when it would be most beneficial to have a paid staff member at the facility to help people in need. 

For more information about Otter Fitness, email info@otterfitness.com, call or text (218) 325-1400 or visit otterfitness.com. The facility can also be found on social media at “Otter Fitness Garage” on Facebook and @otterfitgarage on Instagram.