OSUDimond opens a gym

[OSUDimond]

It's finally time brahs. I have started the process of opening a 3000-4000 square foot training facility. I have been collecting and upgrading my equipment for a while now and am very happy with everything that will fill up my gym. I still have some missing pieces and some things I need to get more of but for the most part I have all of the major components. The purpose of this thread is to get input from other older/wiser/smarter forum members. I am only 26 and this will be the biggest investment and decision of my life so far. I know that I don't know everything and hope to learn some things and become aware of the things I have not thought of yet. The current plan is to rent out the space to trainers for a set fee per month. Myself and my business partner will also be training but my main focus will be on running and maintaining the gym and keeping my equipment business profitable. We will also build a separate hardwood floor room to rent for yoga, posing, TRX, and eventually spinning once we invest into some bikes. If I find the right location with enough additional space I will probably merge my equipment business under the same roof to really simplify my life. I realize that I am young and inexperienced but I am confident in myself and my work ethic to pull this off. I currently run a nutrition store and own a studio gym in the back half of the nutrition store around 1000 square feet. My current trainers and clients will be following me to the new location.

**CURRENT EQUIPMENT OWNED**
- 2 Power Lift Half Racks W/ Platform and locking benches
- 2 Power Lift Full Racks W/ platform insert and locking benches
- Paramount Smith W matching FID Paramount Bench
- Legend Lat Pulldown/Low row
- Free Motion Functional Trainer
- Williams Strength GHR
- Hammer Strength Leg Press
- Cybex Squat Press
- Cybex Eagle Leg Extension
- Magnum Standing Leg Curl
- Hammer Strength Seated Calf Raise
- Preloaded Straight bars 30-120
- 2 UCS Adjustable Benches
- Icarian Steep Decline Bench
- Cybex Adjustable Decline Bench
- Rogue Flat Utility Bench
- Hammer Strength Adjustable Bench
- Power Lift Reverse Hyper
- Hammer Strength Squat Lunge
- 100 lb muy thai 6’ heavy bag
- 75 lb heavy bag
o Gloves X 2
o Mits X 2
o Big pad
o Jump rope X 4
**BARS**
- Old school York
- New Chrome York split sleeve
- 2 York split sleeves
- Buffalo bar
- 5’ chrome bar
- 2 Hampton Bars
- Fat EZ 7’ bar
- Nice black bar
- Power Lift SS bar
- Trap bar
- Swiss bar
- Deadlift bar
- 15 lb EZ bar
**BUMPERS 250 LBS**NEED MORE
- 4 X 45 York
- 2 X 25 Troy
- 2 X 10 Troy
**Olympic Plates 2131 lbs**NEED MORE
- 635 lb Urethane Intek grip plates
- 1496 lb assorted (mainly York milled)
**DUMBBELLS**
- Ivanko Pro Style 15-160 (5250 lbs)
- Hampton Urethane (595 lbs)
**KETTLEBELLS** NEED MORE
- 26/30/35/40/45
**RANDOM ACCESSORIES**
- 4 Browns Technique boxes
- EliteFTS Squat box
- 2 Title 12 lb Medicine balls
- 2 Title 16 lb Medicine balls
- Cable accessories
- Sledgehammer
- Tires
- 2 Yoga Mats
- 2 Rogue Games Box
- Endless Rope
- Steelbells 10-50









I love Defranco's set up and hope to have a similar setup



** Upfront Expenses**
-multi camera security system with DVR
-keycard or some type of access system to the building
-turf field
-multipurpose room
*wood floor
*lighting
*mirrors
*TRX Rigs and straps
*eventually spin bikes
*Yoga mats
-Misc buildout expenses
-bathrooms/ showers
-sound system

**Profit Centers**
-rent from trainers
-multipurpose room (TRX, Yoga, Posing classes)
-Supplements (I currently run a Nutrition store and have built relationships with a few select companies I plan to carry)
-Apparel eventually
-Myself and my business partners training and bootcamp income
-Memberships




**Things to figure out**
-Location (I have it narrowed down)
-type of building
-insurance needed
-What type of access system to the building
-Member contracts
-Contracts for trainers
-Liability and waivers

[Skidmarx]

Good luck bro !

[MrLemanski]

Just a random idea here: your may want to give your gym members benefits at your nutrition store such as special coupons, discounts, etc. May spark more sales, and motivate them to shop there instead of online

[judgecrandall]

It's about time, haha. Congrats and good luck!

[OSUDimond]

Just a random idea here: your may want to give your gym members benefits at your nutrition store such as special coupons, discounts, etc. May spark more sales, and motivate them to shop there instead of online

After running a nutrition store for a few years I realize that it's not something I want to do forever. It's very difficult to make money and stay competitive. I will be making large bulk purchases to get good pricing but it will be more of a convenience thing for members.... not a major profit center. My business partner has a very successful online training business and all of her clients currently purchase from us so that will be where the bulk of sales come from. No fancy store front or anything like that. It would be way too big of a time investment to really try and make a bunch of money with supplements and I would be leaving way too much profit dollars on the table if I just completely ignored it so I am kind of meeting in the middle. And after paying cost for product for years, I will not be going back to paying full retail.

real rough sketch of the layout. Defranco's place is my main inspiration.

[jtaliani]

Best of luck with your new business venture. I hope you will still throw us craigslisters a bone every now and then

[OSUDimond]

Best of luck with your new business venture. I hope you will still throw us craigslisters a bone every now and then

I think you could ask around and find out that I throw big delicious craigslist bones all the time. Mr bravo just got quite a deal, NDMike has got about 500 deals.

[MrLemanski]

After running a nutrition store for a few years I realize that it's not something I want to do forever. It's very difficult to make money and stay competitive. I will be making large bulk purchases to get good pricing but it will be more of a convenience thing for members.... not a major profit center. My business partner has a very successful online training business and all of her clients currently purchase from us so that will be where the bulk of sales come from. No fancy store front or anything like that. It would be way too big of a time investment to really try and make a bunch of money with supplements and I would be leaving way too much profit dollars on the table if I just completely ignored it so I am kind of meeting in the middle. And after paying cost for product for years, I will not be going back to paying full retail.

real rough sketch of the layout. Defranco's place is my main inspiration.

Well at least you've realized you don't want to run the store forever, and are moving forward

If it ends up looking remotely like Defrancos set up you're in good shape

Good luck OP!

[jackbravo]

Ooooh Nelly.... Looking forward to this.

2 comments
-it may be profitable to have a small area Setup for crossfit. Many crossfit gyms charge 150/mo and the hours are limited, plus, you can only use the equipment while you're taking a class. I think if you have it accessible as part of a gym, you might be able to pull away crossfitters from surrounding areas
-C2 rowers, and maybe a prowler


Good luck!!

[OSUDimond]

Ooooh Nelly.... Looking forward to this.

2 comments
-it may be profitable to have a small area Setup for crossfit. Many crossfit gyms charge 150/mo and the hours are limited, plus, you can only use the equipment while you're taking a class. I think if you have it accessible as part of a gym, you might be able to pull away crossfitters from surrounding areas
-C2 rowers, and maybe a prowler


Good luck!!

Thanks Bravo. I got the prowler but rowers have been on my list forever. With crossfit being so popular they just don't pop up for sale at a good price much. My plan is to have the racks facing the open turf area so it possibly could cater to the crossfit crowd. My gym will NEVER be a crossfit gym but I think it will be capable of acting like one if a trainer wanted to train someone that way with the open floor plan and multiple racks.

[ndmike99]

I think you could ask around and find out that I throw big delicious craigslist bones all the time. Mr bravo just got quite a deal, NDMike has got about 500 deals.

I think 500 might be a bit of stretch but I do appreciate that we seem to be able to help each other out from time to time. That seems to be a pretty common thing among the regulars here. I have done deals with many of the people on this forum and it usually goes very smoothly.

Good luck with the gym. I will be following your progress with great interest.

[fishpat86]

Perhaps you could move all this equipment to the car park next to my house...























In Cambridge...




























England.

[ffrink]

Good luck, Mike.

It is a big step but you are smart to do it when you are still young and have the energy!!

As Arnold would say, my advices ....concentrate on the gym and training for income. You obviously realize that a very profitable used equipment business will need to take a back seat. People who buy your equipment locally will either be competitors or folks who will not need to be a member at your gym if they can furnish the basement.

Should be a helluva ride!!!! Best of luck!!!!

[jtaliani]

I think you could ask around and find out that I throw big delicious craigslist bones all the time. Mr bravo just got quite a deal, NDMike has got about 500 deals.

That's what I was referring to. You always have awesome equipment listed. Cheers

[FastCatChamp]

Good luck man....you are putting together the dream for many regulars in this forum.


And I didn't even know that you had any equipment

[owasM]

going to follow this very closey, going to do the same thing in the uk in a few years myself.

good luck!

[KBKB]

Looking forward to watching this space to see your gym take shape. I'd rep you, but I'm still on spread with you.

[Huck43]

Congrats and best of luck with this venture! Definitely some awesome equipment you have accumulated.

[Stasher1]

Are you sure you wouldn't rather open this gym somewhere in the Atlanta area?

Like...oh, I don't know...Lilburn?


Either way, congrats! I think you're off to a pretty good start since you won't have to lease/finance your equipment.

[OSUDimond]

Thanks for all of the kind words guys. The big step right now is finding the location. I am working with a Realtor narrowing down a list of properties around Columbus. I just sent him a picture of Defrancos gym and a few other local warehouse style gyms that I like the look of. This idea used to terrify me but now I am nothing but excited and can't wait to find a space and start putting in work building my dream.

[deadwoodgregg]

The big step right now is finding the location. I am working with a Realtor narrowing down a list of properties around Columbus. I just sent him a picture of Defrancos gym and a few other local warehouse style gyms that I like the look of.

Yeah, try to find a stand alone building where you wouldn't have to worry about noise and neighboring businesses.

[rlundregan]

Congratulations! You seem to have determined what your strengths and barriers are, the rest is a matter of planning around that information. You'll be pretty busy, but don't forget to update us on how it is going!

[Accutron]

Congrats and best wishes with the business. You sure have the equipment for it, maybe your business can write-off the equipment you already bought? Like you buy it from yourself and expense that? I dont know how that works, but congrats again.

[irongrandpa]

Congratulations Mike, you've worked hard to get where you are, keep it up!

[jdforsy]

Awesome! I hope you find a good space.

[ProtienandIron]

Somthing tells me this thread won't go in the same direction as tennisfans gym thread.

I'm glad to here you're taking the plunge OSU, you've got the makings and the attitude for an amazing gym, I just wish I could be there to use it. Good luck to you mate, I'll be following your progress closely.

[OSUDimond]

Somthing tells me this thread won't go in the same direction as tennisfans gym thread.

I'm glad to here you're taking the plunge OSU, you've got the makings and the attitude for an amazing gym, I just wish I could be there to use it. Good luck to you mate, I'll be following your progress closely.

I don't think it will go the way of tennisfans thread but I do really want to expose all of the weaknesses to my plans and figure out the best approach for all of this. Once again thanks for all of the words of encouragement. It has taken me a long time to build up the confidence to chase this dream so its nice to hear that you guys think I can pull this off. I plan on updating this thread regularly as I move forward. I am hoping to start getting inside some properties this weekend.

[Porphyry]

Somthing tells me this thread won't go in the same direction as tennisfans gym thread.

What do you mean? Tennisfan's business plan inspired me to open my own gym.

I just have one question about my plan.... I have an elliptical trainer, some pink rubber dumbbells ranging from 1 to 7lb (I'm missing one of the 6lb dumbbells), A Bowflex AND a Weider multi-press station. I plan to target overweight Chinese women over 50 and Russian dwarves because I know they love to work out in dark rooms with poor lighting and no mirrors. I estimate there are 50 million of them in Houston, all of whom would want to join my gym, which is in my apartment. I know there's a huge market for a new gym here because there's a 24Hr fitness, an LA Fitness and a Lifetime Fitness just down the road from me. But my gym will be much better because I really understand women so I will constantly remind everyone how fat they are and will provide BBQ turkey legs to snack on while they work out.

My question is: should I charge $180 or $200/month? A new Crossfit gym just opened up near me and they're charging $150/month and they don't even have a Omron Bodyfat Electro Body fat Analysery thingy like I do.

[morebarbell]

Congrats! What's the name of the gym?

[iportal]

Osu your gym looks perfect, most gym goers would be like a kid in a sweet shop. I couldn't think of a more perfect gym.

I really do wish you all the best of luck, repped!