[MileHighMama]

Hi everyone. I usually hang out in the maintainers section but I've been lurking here a lot lately. I belong to a large big box gym, which is close to my home. I mostly use the cardio equipment, weight machines and free weights. My hubby has always wanted to buy a franchise and is big on the idea of buying 3 Snap Fitness gyms. We've looked at a lot of them. They are small, only about 2,500 to 3,000 square feet, don't have pools, saunas, exercise rooms, showers, etc. But they are situated close to people's home in strip malls, so you can get in and get out. Does anyone have opinions on the smaller co-ed gyms? Would you buy a membership in a gym like this if it was closer to your home than a big box, but about the same amount of $ per month. No contract requried? Personal training is available.
Thanks so much. I am pulling my hair out about this as I am new to the whole gym thing and have only been going less than a year. I do love it and this would certainly keep me working out!
Pam

[sportmom]

Hi Pam,

I've not heard of them, so I googled them. Probably a bulletin board dedicated to franchises or small business owners would be a good place to visit too, to see what the "on the street" opinion of this organization is.

I think it has some pro's -- it's a "real" gym and not one that you would outgrown, like some people talk about growing a limited circuit gym like Curves.

But, the 24 hour access concerns me. I know it is key card access and camera-rigged, but unless you plan to staff it (which would be hard), I would just be real worried about liability for what could go on in your facility with no one manning it. In terms of assault, even one 16 y/o member letting "buddies" in, kids getting their parent's cards, I don't know, it just makes me nervous. And if something were to happen in your facility, we're talking lawsuit, and I don't think you'd find much corporate support at all in that situation. In fact, I would be money that you sign away any rights for that in the contracts. Worse case scenario, of course, but I think as a business owner, it's all about looking fully at the risks as well as benefits.

[Meg]

Hi Pam! Wow, what an interesting idea! But I think I'd be nervous too.

I'm a heavy gym user, going at least once a day, sometimes twice, so feel pretty qualified to answer. What I want in a gym is a good variety of well-maintained equipment, cleanliness, hours to suit my schedule (I'm an early AM person), convenient location, and access to equipement when I'm there (not insanely crowded). I don't care about showers (I change at home), pools etc, don't need childcare, and don't take a lot of classes. Size doesn't matter to me as long as the gym has the equipment I need. Co-ed is fine; my workout partner is a guy.

My dues at Ballys are only $22/month but I'd be willing to pay more for a nice facility. We just don't have any competition here.

Good luck and let us know what you decide to do!

[nelie]

I used to belong to a woman's only gym. I liked it a lot. It was clean, they handed you fresh towels when you came and it was only women. If you plan to maintain a smaller gym for the same price but without other amenities, how would you plan to make up for it? What would someone joining your gym get that they wouldn't get at a bigger one? Other than maybe being a little closer?

[MariaMaria]

If you plan to maintain a smaller gym for the same price but without other amenities, how would you plan to make up for it? What would someone joining your gym get that they wouldn't get at a bigger one?

This is very well put.

Personally, I wouldn't be interested in any gym without showers, especially one that charged full-gym prices.

[sportmom]

The website stated memberships started at $26 a month, and if that's true in every market it would probably be cheaper. I know around here and when I lived in Co, it was $35/mo and probably upwards of $50 for shorter contracts. So it might be priced lower that the competition, not sure. I don't think as a user I would be comfortable going somewhere where there is no staff either. I mean, who's really watching the other end of the closed circuit tv? Probably no one, it's just recorded on tape in case you need to look at it later.

[Meg]

Thinking about it some more, my concern would be the variety of equipment. Would a gym that size be able to provide a squat rack, bench press, benches, DBs from 5 - 95#, different sized BBs, leg press, all the weight plates, and an assortment of cardio equipment? I can live without most machines but really would want a well-stocked free weight area. Of course, others might prefer a circuit of machines. The size makes me concerned that it would be like the so-called fitness centers you run into at hotels ... which wouldn't work for me.

[tikanique]

I wouldn't want to use an unstaffed gym for anything other than light cardio. Right now I belong to Bally's and no matter what kind of trouble I get into from getting stuck under weights to falling off the treadmill, to bashing my skull on the squat bar, I know someone is there that can either help me out or call 9-1-1.

[nelie]

I went and looked at the information when Fran said it was 24 hour access. Not that I would be a 2am exerciser, some people are. If I was a woman though, the last thing I'd want is to be exercising in a gym by myself or with very few people. What if some guys got in an argument and it turned into something more? The whole concept seems very strange to me, like Meg said, almost like a hotel gym which is not some place I would say is ideal to workout.

[CinnamonGirl]

I have to agree with eveyone here. I'd not be comfortable in an unstaffed gym.

I've belonged to both a "big box" gym and a smaller independently owned gym. I hated the big box for many reasons - too expensive for what I got out of it was my biggest beef. I also didn't like being at a gym where the women were only interested in which designer gym clothes you wear, wearing perfume and makeup while working out, and people talking on their cell phones while working out! The whole gym as pick up joint thing. Yuck!

I really liked the smaller independent. It was a gym for serious weight lifters so most of the clients were men. I actually liked that because I wanted to be around people who were serious about working out. They had very basic cardio equiptment and no group classes but that was fine with me as I don't like group classes. The lifting equiptment was great and all very well maintained. Again I think that's because the focus of the gym was training competition weight lifters. Having all those knowlegeable people around was great plus oooooh those guys are sooooooo fun to watch!

The down side to the independent was only one shower in the women's locker room and the cleanliness was next to nothing! You couldn't have paid me to shower in that thing!

As far as price goes around here (Minneapolis) a mid-range single membership is about $45 plus taxes/fees so If you're not offering all the other amenities the big boxes offer: free towels, big clean locker rooms with free lockers, day care, on-site help (not personal training but help if you need it) available during all gym hours; I'm not sure people will pay the same fee. If your charge is in the $25/mo range with less amenities then that sounds fair.

All that being said (I know, too wordy! LOL) I think owning your own business is a GREAT idea. Just research like mad before you do anything. There have been a lot of small "Curves-like" franchises for both men and women that have tried and failed around our neighborhood over the past 5 years. I'm not sure why as we live in a fairly affluent part of the city. I guess it really depends on who you think your clientel will be. Who are they? Do they live near your location? Where do they work? Do they want you work out close to home or work? Can you piggy back on say a grocery store nearby? Is there another business near that will help draw them in, a Target maybe?

Good luck in making your decision.

Beth

[WaterRat]

I don't like the unstaffed aspect either. I have qualms about using hotel workout rooms when they're tucked away where no one can see. It's the one time I want someone watching me exercise.

I echo the things others have brought up. The longer hours are great, but I think it ought to be staffed, and ususally that means 2 people, esp in the late night times. I would never have a single staff person working in my library - too many opportunities for problems. We did have one instance when 2 women were here alone (library was closed) and inadverntly left a door unlocked. A man came in ranting and raised his arm as if to strike them. It all turned out okay, but you can bet they never leave a door unlocked!

So, back to the gym. It wouldn't be my first choice without a lot more investigation.

[MileHighMama]

Wow, thanks everyone for the well-thought out responses. I really appreciate your input. The gyms have cameras and security systems. They would be staffed by my husband or me or a personal trainer/manager during business hours. The rest of the time, they are not staffed. The doors are always locked, though. Members get in using an access card, so it's possible that you may be the only one working out or you could be with several other people. The security system comes with a device you can wear around your neck to summon 911 if you get into any trouble. People can wear the device out to their car if they are worried about walking out alone at night. They just have to return them the next time they come in. Working out alone at night, or with just one other person, say, a big scary looking man, would freak me out too. I kind of doubt that many women will be working out late at night, though. There is a phone right near the door so you could always call the police and say, "hey, there's a creepy guy outside and I don't feel comfortable leaving." Still, this is something to seriously consider.
Meg: You mentioned the free weight area. It would be fully stocked with all of the different sized items you mentioned, although there are not multiple sets of everything. We would have probably 5 treadmills, 5 ellipticals and 2 bikes, all by Cybex. the equipment would be brand new as we would get it directly from Cybex. Would the security thing be a factor for you?

The club would be the same price as a big box so what you get is a smaller, hoepfully friendlier "neighborhood" gym that doesn't have the big box feel to it, where memberships are often over sold and you have to wait to get on the cardio equipment. It's meant to appeal to people who don't want all the amenities but just want to get in their work out and get home. It isn't located at a major interection, like where a 24-hour fitness or Bally would be, but rather nestled into a strip mall in a residential area.

Any other thoughts out there would be appreciated.
Thanks!!!
Pam

[Meg]

Pam, the security issue wouldn't be a big deal to me because I'd only use the facility between say, 5:30 am and 6 pm. I can't see me ever working out in the middle of the night. Of course, a lot would depend on the neighborhood but where I live, it wouldn't bother me if I was there without a staff member. We only have one employee at Ballys early in the morning and he's a floor away from the cardio equipment and weight room so it's not a whole lot different.

My issue would be equipment - is it clean, well-maintained, and enough of it? It certainly sounds like a good stock of cardio equipment and in a gym tht size, you wouldn't need duplicates in the free weight area.

If a gym like yours was located near me, I'd definitely check it out and ask for a week's pass. We literally have NO alternatives to Ballys except for a 'wellness' type gym run by a hospital ... not my thing.

[Mel]

I would definitely prefer a gym like that to a "big box" gym. However, I've now worked at two independent gyms that were "weightlifter gyms" with decent locker rooms and classes that have been put out of business by big box gyms that could afford to lose a little money for a while at one location in order to shut down the competition. I now work out of the complete opposite business scenario- a large, well equiped private training gym with no members, only training clients. We charge a lot, but our clients get a full gym and a trainer, towels, clean shower, etc.

You'd have to offer something special that people couldn't get (ok, proximity is a biggie) elsewhere.

My parents briefly belonged to a gym like that in Boulder because of their "scent free" policy. It was open 24 hours and accessible with a pass card. They were happy with the facility, but no one sniff-tested the other users of the facility for compliance, and my mother had to quit.

The security issue probably wouldn't bother me. I would do my workouts during the day. We do have a 24 hour gym nearby to which I belong (uh, yeah, I think I still belong there.....) It is staffed 24 hours a day and used at all hours, much to my surprise. The front desk staff told me that every couple of hours, a contingent of nurses, emergency service personnel, police, etc who work odd shifts use the facility when their shift is done.

Mel

[MariaMaria]

I went to the website.

It seems odd to me that the website is as much about selling franchises as it is selling gym memberships. Compare it to 24hourfitness.com or ballyfitness.com or goldsgym.com or probably any other franchised gym. All the other sites are selling the idea of gym memberships, not trying to sell the gyms themselves.