Melt, one of the most exclusive fitness centers in SoBo, is preparing to close its doors at the Cambata Building, located opposite Churchgate station, marking the end of a vibrant 21-year era where the affluent came to break a sweat.
Despite facing significant financial losses, the management of Melt has made the compassionate decision to absorb its loyal housekeeping staff into its sister concern, QI Spine Clinic, according to a Mid Day report. Nitij Arenja, the director of this Olympic-standard gym, informed the news agency Mid Day that he had been approached by many to create franchises.
Over the years, Melt has attracted a multitude of influential figures from the film industry, including renowned personalities as well as senior IPS and IAS officers, bureaucrats from Mantralaya, legal experts, business moguls, and other fitness enthusiasts. The gym, originally named Qi, was established on June 1, 2002, and later rebranded as Melt in May 2019.
IPS officer Ashok Kamte, who was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra after he laid down his life during the 26/11 attacks, would often frequent Melt. Another patron was the decorated IPS officer Himanshu Roy, who ended his life in 2018 while battling cancer.
Apart from senior IPS officers such as Krishna Prakash, Amitabh Gupta, Vishwas Nangre Patil, and Hari Balaji, retired bureaucrats and solicitors general breaking into a sweat were also a common sight at the establishment. According to Melt's management, the Chief Justice of India, D Y Chandrachud would also drop in whenever he was in Mumbai.
"Cambata Trust has a tenant, who we were partnering with to run Melt. Now, the tenant is amicably returning the property to the landlord, i.e., Cambata Trust. There was no legal fight. Everything was done amicably. We were formed informed of this development, a couple of days ago. Hence, we are shutting down the business on May 31. We have conveyed this message to all members," Arenja informed Midday.
The fitness centre was fully revamped before the lockdown, and expensive machines were brought from Italy to create an Olympic-standard gym for fitness freaks. But despite huge investment, the management could not get a good return as the lockdown was implemented soon after the revamp in 2020, said Arenja.
