Downtown residents might have noticed when the second-floor tenant of 440 on Third—4Forty Fitness—quietly began changing hands in mid-2019. Within the past few months, it’s been replaced by another fitness concept: Cajun Fitness.
The months-long transition from 4Forty Fitness to Cajun Fitness primarily reflects a desired change in management, says Dyke Nelson, owner of the Third Street building, which also houses Matherne’s Market and 65 apartments.
When Cajun Fitness showed interest in the nearly 9,000-square-foot space, Nelson says the Louisiana-based brand seemed an ideal replacement for 4Forty Fitness.
“For the most part, it’s still the Class A facility it was,” says Nelson, noting the tenant has signed a 10-year lease. “The name ‘Cajun Fitness’ also differentiated the brand of the facility from the brand of the building. It’s really a standalone gym and not something purely attached to 440 on Third.”
Moreover, Cajun Fitness already had an established brand, opening its first gym in Rayne, Louisiana, in 1998, according to its website. Since then, others have opened in Broussard, Youngsville, Eunice and Opelousas, with Baton Rouge marking its sixth and newest location.
Davis Rhorer, executive director of the Downtown Development District, says the concept is a welcome addition to the mix of fitness options available downtown, which include Anytime Fitness and the Charles W. Lamar, Jr. YMCA, along with biking and walking paths.
Cajun Fitness bills itself as an independent fitness center that provides “a clean, fun, enthusiastic environment.”
