BUSINESS MONDAY:Southwest Florida fitness centers use themes to attract consumers
Photo by DAVID ALBERS
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The owners of Retro Fitness opened their doors to pre-enrolled and new members on Friday, Feb. 26 at the Kings Lake Square in East Naples. David Albers/Staff
Photo by DAVID ALBERS
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General manager Lee Vanderjagt, owner/manager Jamil Mackie and office manager Jamie Blodgett, left to right, opened their location of Retro Fitness on Friday, Feb. 26 at the Kings Lake Square in East Naples. David Albers/Staff
NAPLES The days of leg warmers and braided, terry cloth headbands may be gone forever but a new fitness center in East Naples is bringing back the 1980s with its bright colors, rockin’ music and a big-screen RetroTheatre.
Members there can work out on treadmills, bikes and ellipticals while watching such movies as “Sixteen Candles” and “Ferris Bueller’s Day off.”
The local economy may be bad, but new gyms and smaller boutique-style fitness centers continue to open across Southwest Florida. It’s a business that remains seemingly fit, while so many others are suffering because Americans have tightened up so much on their wallets in this recession.
For many, fitness remains a top priority and health club memberships are one of the last things they’ll cut when times are tough.
“If you have to cut something from your budget, it perhaps would not be something that is going to make you physically healthy,” said Francesca Vanegas, director of the Florida Yoga Institute in Estero, which recently opened its studio to the public.
She’s not surprised to see growth in the industry.
“Health and fitness classes and memberships, whether it’s
yoga, pilates or any other form, are going to make you feel good about yourself,” she said. “And during these times I think we are all wanting and searching to feel better to bring some sanity.”
Over the past two years, several large fitness chains have entered or expanded in Southwest Florida. in 2008, LA Fitness opened in Bonita Springs. another one is coming to Naples soon.
Florida-based Lifestyle Family Fitness now has two locations in the Naples area.
Stretching more than 10,000 square feet, the new 1980s-style gym in East Naples — in Kings Lake Square off Davis Boulevard — is part of a newer chain known as Retro Fitness, headquartered in New Jersey. the local franchise owner is 27-year-old Jamil Mackie, who was born in the ‘80s.
He sees it as a great time to open a gym, especially a retro fitness gym. the franchise offers the latest fitness equipment at a fixed price of $19.99 a month.
“It never changes,” Mackie said of the cost. “It’s set for life.”
“We’re not trying to kill people in the pocket book,” he said.
His gym opened in late February with nearly 500 members. one of the first to sign up was Owen Blatt, 66, who lives on Marco Island.
“I think it’s the affordability that attracts a lot of people,” he said. “Things are tough out there right now.”
The price is one of the big reasons he joined.
“I can use it 30 days a month and it comes out to 65 cents a day,” he said. “I can’t buy a cup of coffee anywhere today for that much money.”
He likes the gym’s high-tech cardio equipment and the movie theater that will help keep him going during his workout.
“The hour you are watching TV goes by much quicker than the hour when you are not watching TV,” Blatt said.
Mackie, a fitness buff who played football at Adrian College in Michigan, plans to open more Retro Fitness gyms in Southwest Florida. asked how many, he said, “The sky is the limit to be honest with you.”
The gym is bringing new energy to the Kings Lake plaza and the surrounding East Naples community.
“It’s not your body-building gym,” Mackie said. “It’s a place you can enjoy and have a good time.”
“It just brings people back to when times were really good,” he said.
Mackie was formerly an operations manager in the restaurant business, working for big Boy and other large chains. he moved to Marco Island about two years ago.
At the Retro Fitness gym, members hear ‘80s songs such as “Going Back to Cali,” and “867-5309/Jenny.” the fitness machines are bright yellow and red and there’s a black-and-white checkered floor.
Founder and CEO Eric Casaburi has described Retro Fitness as the Target of the fitness industry. the gym also offers personal training, tanning, child care, massage, a juice bar and more.
Maggie Goldsmith is one of three personal trainers at Retro Fitness. She’s been in the fitness business for 20 years and recently relocated from Sanibel to Naples.
“I think you need something that’s bright and neat to go to,” she said.
She also works at another new gym in Naples: Fit2defend, which incorporates self defense into its fitness training.
In the next year or two, LA Fitness plans to open at the Pavilion Shopping Center off Vanderbilt Beach Road. it will replace Publix, which is relocating across the street. the chain offers a variety of membership plans, from as low as about $20 a month on up to $45.
“LA Fitness is unlike anything we’ve ever had in Collier County,” said Doug Olson, a retail and investment specialist for LandQwest Commercial in Fort Myers, which handled the lease.
“First of all, it’s over 50,000 square feet. I think the next largest gym in town is 20,000. It’s more like a Y on a big scale.”
In addition to state-of-the-art fitness equipment, the gym will offer aerobic and other classes, a juice bar, a heated lap pool and a Jacuzzi. there will be racquetball, tennis and basketball courts.
Olson expects the LA Fitness to be a big draw.
“People will drive out of their way to go there,” he said. “They are one of the healthiest retailers around.”
When the lease was signed last summer it was expected to be at least two years before the opening.
“These bigger companies are pretty savvy,” Olson said. “They are projecting things out. they are looking at historical trends by the decade.”
He’s noticed the proliferation of boutique-style fitness centers. in part, he said, it’s driven by the fact that lease rates are so much more affordable in a bad economy, making it easier for entrepreneurial spirits to open new businesses.
“Confidence is coming back,” Olson said. “Actually, more and more tenants are out there looking. I think we are pulling out of it.”
The new fitness centers are a good venue for the trained professionals coming out of the Florida Yoga Institute in Estero, which has graduated about 50 students since opening in 2006.
The institute opened its studio to the public about a month ago, offering an introductory price of $10 per class. instead of dropping $50 on a fancy dinner, the same money can be spent on five classes, giving you “something more lasting,” said Vanegas, the director.
“We have classes here that really address health issues and are tailored towards different bodies,” she said.
A few months ago, Beyond Motion opened in North Naples at the Riverbend Plaza off U.S. 41 North, north of Immokalee Road.
The owners are Rick and Amy Lademann, whose 3,000-square-foot studio offers mind and body fitness along with sports and strength conditioning, combining their specialities. Classes include Pilates, yoga, zumba and nia.
“The unique thing about it is it’s an a la carte-type of thing. there are no monthly dues. we format the menu around what you want,” said Rick Lademann, who worked as a strength and conditioning coach for the Chicago Bulls, the Colorado Rockies and the University of California before moving to North Naples in 2005.
In a smaller setting, he said, he and his wife, who are in their 30s, are able to give their clients more individual attention, keeping in close touch with them by phone and e-mail.
Amy Lademann has been in the fitness industry for more than 10 years. she teaches the fitness classes, which can accommodate 20 to 30 people. She’s also a personal development and motivational coach, who speaks to groups.
Their business has been building every week. for competitive reasons, they didn’t want to disclose their number of regular clients.
So far, there is about an 85 percent retention rate, Rick Lademann said.
“I would love to expand at some point,” he said. “I would like to get 5,000 to 6,000 square feet.”
Prices range from $14 for a group fitness class to $80 an hour for a personal training session.
A few years ago, the Lademanns wouldn’t have dreamed of starting such a business because rents were so expensive in Naples, he said.
“The overhead would have been astronomical,” he said.
Crystal Manjarres, the owner of Crystal’s Fitness for Women in North Naples, opened her business last year, offering private, one-on-one personal training and Pilates with an emphasis on nutrition and cardio.
“A lot of women prefer it,” Manjarres said. “They don’t want to get dressed up and put on make-up. they just want to come in and work out.”
Her studio is off U.S. 41 in North Naples, south of Pine Ridge Road.
She has brought on another woman trainer to help her because business continues to grow. sometimes, her husband, Luis, will help out too. she trains about 15 clients a day.
“I am just swamped,” said Manjarres, 24.
For her clients, money is not an obstacle. Some have enough that it’s not a big concern, while others are sacrificing in other ways to get the more specialized personal training.
“Anytime you go through an up or down cycle, or recession, there are people who are doing well and people not doing very well,” Manjarres said.
“Fortunately for me, I’ve been doing really well. I count my blessings.”
Connect with Laura Layden at www.naplesnews.com/staff/laura_layden.
BUSINESS MONDAY:Southwest Florida fitness centers use themes to attract consumers