Fit Zone for Women Fitness Franchise

Fitness franchise news. Source: Detroit News article on Company website

Women’s fitness chain has a healthy outlook

Fit Zone franchise to grow from current 29 locations to nearly 70 within the next year.

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“We have a fitness center that every woman would want to be a member of,” said Shannon, who started Fit Zone for Women in 2003. “It’s not a bare-bones facility like some of the other facilities. We have real equipment that gives women real results.”
Fit Zones offer women cardiovascular and circuit training equipment along with classes in a facility that eliminates swimming pools, showers and other amenities women don’t use when they are working out in a club, Shannon said.

Members vary in their exercise routines, she said. Some come three to four times a week to work out. Others only come for the group classes, which are included in the $39 monthly charge.

Women have become a growing majority of health club members, accounting for 57 percent of national membership, according to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association.

“The rising female membership percentages may be due to the increase in the number of female-only health club facilities,” the association reported about the $15.9 billion health club industry.

Rick Romeo, Fit Zone’s director of franchise development, expects to have 200 locations operating in the next three years in the Midwest and around the country. The company has targeted several Detroit suburbs for new locations, including Rochester Hills, Macomb Township, Auburn Hills, Birmingham and Plymouth, and outstate locales ranging from Traverse City to Port Huron.

“Fitness is one of the largest growing areas in franchising,” Romeo said. “We think it’s aggressive, but we think it’s realistic.”

The Kalamazoo-based company has just started to emphasize franchises outside of the Midwest and is looking for people to invest between $100,000 to $150,000 to open a new club.

A typical Fit Zone has between 900 to 1,200 members and covers 4,000 square feet, includes 12 pieces of cardio equipment, 12 pieces of circuit equipment, locker rooms, private changing areas and a group exercise class area.