With a focus on the emotional benefits of exercise, one gym is looking to bring its concept to the Greater Lehigh Valley with a franchise expansion.
New York-based Blink Fitness is looking to target key areas of the region, including Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton, said Todd Magazine, president of Blink Fitness.
The business, which began in 2011, has a corporate development side and has expanded into franchising. It has 52 locations open, nearly 20 under development and another seven in the franchise pipeline, Magazine said.
The company is opening three locations outside Philadelphia this year, which are the closest sites to the Valley.
“The Lehigh Valley would be one that would be a franchise opportunity,” Magazine said, noting that it’s an underserved market. “We are really most interested in finding a franchisee who has that local knowledge.”
Typically, a franchisee would invest $650,000 to nearly $2 million in a location, depending on the real estate and the negotiations the franchisee has with the landlord, Magazine said.
One reason the gym is looking to expand in the region is because it’s an underserved market for the concept, he said.
“Other gyms focus on the physical attributes of exercise; we really focus on the emotional side,” Magazine said. “That resonates with a lot of people. We really take a much more innovative approach.”
He said Blink Fitness showcases people who are not in perfect shape on its website to show “you don’t have to be in shape to work out here.”
Offering memberships at $15 per month, Magazine is looking to compete with other gyms that offer similar price points while still bringing a more luxury experience through an emphasis on customer service and maintaining a bright, clean atmosphere with an open gym design.
The size of the locations range from 15,000 to 20,000 square feet.
The business is looking to open in both urban and suburban areas of the Valley that have easy access and possibly co-locate with other places people typically visit, including grocery stores, pharmacies and dry cleaners, he said.
“One of the reasons we are franchising is we want local people to make those decisions,” Magazine said.
