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Despite slow economy, owners of local gyms remain pumped up

By Ethan Forman
Staff writer
Published: January 12, 2009

Note: A quote from Kara Thompson, spokeswoman for the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association, has been corrected to read: "Certainly, the economy affects a lot of industries."

It seems a few gyms on the North Shore took it on the chin last year as the economy slimmed down.

One of them, the North Shore Athletic Club in the Cummings Center in Beverly, closed its doors Dec. 31 without any explanation.

Also last year, four Curves women's health club franchises in Danvers, Middleton, Beverly and Peabody shut their doors.

Despite the economy's rough shape, local gym owners say they're confident that health clubs have the stamina to outlast the recession, because people care about being fit.

"The people who are working out tend to think it's pretty important," said Anne Tarvin, owner of the Curves gym in downtown Topsfield.

Massachusetts ranks sixth out of the 48 contiguous states in terms of health club membership. In the Boston area, more than 20 percent of the population belongs to a club, said Kara Thompson, spokeswoman for the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association.

"Certainly, the economy affects a lot of industries, but we have a good track record around recession times," Thompson said.

"I would tend to agree with that," said Tarvin, who's owned her franchise for the past seven years.

The nationwide chain offers a 30-minute circuit workout for women who may be busy but want to stay in shape, Tarvin said.

The silver lining of this anemic economy is that clubs are offering discounts, waiving enrollment fees, and providing free personal training and other discounts, Thompson said.

"It's easier for clubs to retain their memberships than to gain new ones," she said.

The Topsfield Curves, which typically begins to see new customers late in January, is offering half off the service fee and the first month free, Tarvin said.

New opportunities

The Beverly club closed at a time when New Year's resolutions kick in, with January being the month health clubs typically bring in 12 percent of their new members, Thompson said.

"It's kind of a cyclical thing," Thompson said, "as one club closes, one may open in its place. Furthermore, there's room for all types of clubs in the industry."

A new operator, the Beverly Athletic Club, has stepped up and plans to open an Express club in the same location in March. Owner Ed Soul could not be reached for this story.

Personal trainer Eric Knight of Danvers has opened a small gym for women, the Danvers Fitness Studio, in the space occupied by a Curves at 78 Holten St. that went out of business in September.

While the industry is optimistic, not everyone is so upbeat.

"Unfortunately, the price of fitness is one of the first things to go," said Ann Jones of Danvers, a former Danvers Curves client who is now a client of Knight's gym.

"It's a tough environment," Knight agreed.

Knight said his personal training client base has slowed somewhat over the past year and more clients are talking about money, but many would rather give up a fancy meal than give up the gym, he said.

Knight's basement fitness studio has gotten help from his wife, Kim, who owns the building, a former church located across from McKinnon's Market. Their studio also houses her Yellow Jackets Too! gymnastics studio.

"Because we are small, we focus on you, instead of the big place with all the pretty equipment," Knight said. Membership is $25 a month, with a one-week free trial this month.

The opposite extreme is going up on Route 1 south in Peabody, where Latitude plans to open a 130,000-square-foot, four-story health club in April.

As well as all the exercise equipment, it will feature a five-lane pool, sun deck, four tennis courts, four racquetball courts, a four-story rock climbing wall and a women's-only workout room. The company operates sports clubs in Andover, Haverhill, Methuen and Salisbury.

"Our club, to be frank, is a high-end club," said John Bushnell, Latitude's membership manager. Such clubs are "the last to feel the squeeze."

Latitude did better this year than last despite the downturn, Bushnell said, and while there is some concern people might pull back their spending, "this is something you are going to need for the rest of your life."

Membership runs $80 a month, but the company is offering $50- and $60-a-month specials for life for those who join before the club opens.

"We had people join the club when it was just a foundation," Bushnell said. "We are not nervous, we want to do it right."

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