Matt Lau Reimagines Downtown Health And Wellness, Grand-Opening The Forge 24/7 Gym And The Oasis Spa

A Moorhead chiropractor turns rebuild pressure into a once-in-a-generation wellness expansion for the entire downtown neighborhood.
In this Fargo Five conversation, host Conrad Fargo sits down with Matt Lau—’03 Moorhead Spud, chiropractor, and now builder of a full-spectrum wellness ecosystem—to unpack how one forced move sparked a 12,000-square-foot vision on Center Avenue. Matt explains the rebrand to Downtown Health and Wellness and the simultaneous launch of multiple complementary ventures: The Forge (a 24/7 public membership fitness center), The Oasis (a spa concept), Downtown Aesthetics (injectables and laser treatments), and the Fuel House (house-made shakes, teas, and coffee). He also previews plans to bring physical therapy and describes why a multidisciplinary, one-stop model helps people avoid surgery and overreliance on medication by treating issues from multiple angles. Matt credits his longtime partner Dr. Matt Gilbertson, a deep bench of support staff (Courtney, Liz, Kaye, Lisa, Carrie), and builder-level collaborators like Josh Sowl (SBDC) with turning a stressful relocation from the Moorhead Center Mall into a bigger opportunity. He traces the origin story from childhood sports injuries to shadowing his mentor in the old mall clinic and explains why chiropractic’s relationship-driven care kept pulling him back. We cover the practical bottlenecks of hands-on healthcare and why pairing chiropractic with massage therapy extends results, then follow the leap from “we probably need 1,000 square feet for PT” to taking all 12,000 square feet of the commercial level—aligning with apartments above and creating tenant-friendly access to fitness. Matt speaks candidly about navigating a recent divorce, co-parenting three kids (Wyatt 11, Sophia 7, Maverick 5), and how therapy helped him convert anxiety into gratitude, a mindset that now guides his leadership. He still treats patients roughly 30–32 clinic hours a week while delegating gym and spa buildout logistics to trusted lieutenants. We talk future staffing scale (training sessions already pack the conference room), community ties, and why word-of-mouth outperformed formal networking groups for him—even as he remains open to wellness-collaborative circles. You’ll also hear the practical details prospective clients want: Downtown Health and Wellness is near Shields on Center; walk-ins and new patients are welcome; Matt has cared for everyone from 3 days to 103 years old; and the clinic phone number is 218-236-5151. We close with three words Matt would send back to his 18-year-old self—integrity and gratitude—and the song selection “Father’s Son” by Stephen Wilson Jr., a tribute to the legacy of his dad. If you’re curious how a local practitioner can become a neighborhood builder, or you’re a founder staring down a scary scale decision, this episode maps the mindset and the moves that turn disruption into durable community value.