Best Gym? It's Midtown Family Fitness

It's not the least expensive. And it doesn't have the largest corporate name. But is the best gym in town, according to Milford Patch readers, who voted for the business in large numbers.

By the close of voting at 9 a.m. Friday, Midtown drew 29 percent of the 231 votes cast in the online poll, a comfortable margin. And many of its customers about the cleanliness of equipment, the comfortable atmosphere, the staff, and its terrific location on the

Milford, , and also drew a large number of votes, each pulling in 16 percent of the vote. And Jazzercise received many enthusiastic comments, too.

Midtown Family Fitness is owned by Marie Clemente, who thanked her customers earlier in the week, when it became clear the gym was garnering momentum in online voting.

The business began decades ago in downtown Milford under a previous owner, as a racquetball club. Clemente, a personal trainer who has a degree in physical education, was an employee when the club, owned by the Morin family, was in the space above the and expanded to include a fitness component.

She and her husband purchased the Midtown Fitness and Racquetball Club business in 1999, Clemente said, and then also purchased the Women's Fitness center on Jefferson Street, across the street.

The two businesses were combined and renamed as Midtown Family Fitness and Racquetball Club, and then relocated to Sumner Street, when the Clementes purchased the site in 2005 and constructed the building.

The site is perfect for the club, she said, and has allowed members to make use of the adjacent Milford bike and walking trail. The business is successful because of the staff, Clemente said. "I have fabulous, professional, friendly staff," she said. "Our members are like part of our family. It's not just the bottom-line of making money."

Next week, Milford Patch will feature a poll on the best place to spend St. Patrick's Day. The voting begins at 9 a.m.