Backen opens Libby Gym on Mineral Avenue

A new gym with an old-fashioned style opened in Libby April 1. Matthew Backen has opened the Libby Gym on the corner of Fifth Street and Mineral Avenue.

The gym, he said, is a “fighting gym,” complete with weights, punching bags and a boxing ring.

“It’s kind of a work in progress right now,” he said. “We’re starting small, but we’re going to be growing with whatever people want to see.”

The gym occupies the upper floor of the former This and That Antiques store and is accessed from a side entrance on Fifth Street. The regulation-sized boxing ring occupies the center of the spacious facility, with weight benches, free weights and workout machines along the perimeter of the space.

“We’re open for business now,” Backen said. “The space is great for trainers, martial arts instructors and even dance teachers.”

Backen said he’s in the process of adding exercise bikes, stair-climbers, elliptical machines and a treadmill to the gym. 

“We really want to offer people whatever they want,” he said.

Libby Gym charges $5 per day for individual day passes, or patrons can purchase a monthly membership for $30. The current working hours are 5 a.m. until 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. until 11 p.m., but Backen said he is hoping to be open 24 hours a day soon. He plans to add an electronic lock with codes and security cameras to the facility to ensure safety and security.