FARGO – Planet Fitness is moving to a bigger planet in south Fargo.
A mid-December opening is planned for a much-expanded Planet Fitness in the former Gordman’s building at 5100 14th Ave. S.
Remodeling the 20,405-square-foot space, well more than half of the nearly 35,000-square-foot big box building, will cost more than $1 million, according to city permit records.
Chris Flynn / The Forum
With the opening of the new facility, the current Planet Fitness at 4325 13th Ave. S. will close, according to Will Dalaney, director of marketing at Baseline Fitness (a Planet Fitness franchise).
“The new space is a perfect location for Planet Fitness,” Dalaney said in an email response to Forum questions. “Its larger size will accommodate our growing Fargo membership and offer plenty of room for equipment and amenities. Expansion in the market is certainly part of the development conversations based on the growth the Fargo-Moorhead area is experiencing and we are always on the lookout for new opportunities,” Dalaney said.
The relocated club will include plenty of new equipment and locker rooms, as well as a larger Black Card Spa, Dalaney said. More employees will also be hired to staff the larger facility, he said.
At the current Planet Fitness, patrons working out Thursday morning, Nov. 9, were pumped up about getting a bigger, more flexible place to flex.
Chris Flynn / The Forum
“That’s great,” said Gage Begin of Fargo, as he prepared to lift some free weights. “It would be a lot more room for weights. Not so condensed. … It’s awesome!”
Kayley Koenig said she looks forward to having more equipment available, so there will be less waiting to use a treadmill or the Cybex weightlifting machines. She said the current facility is usually packed if she pops in at 6 p.m.
Chris Flynn / The Forum
“That’s going to be so nice,” the Fargo woman said.
Pacing away the miles on a treadmill, Tim Blin of Fargo said he figures the move has a lot to do with keeping pace with the competition in the area. He said he’s tried the Crunch Fitness that opened January in the former Toys ‘R’ Us building just off 13th Avenue South, and he’s decided to stick with Planet Fitness. He said he won’t mind the jog over to the former Gordman’s – as long as the atmosphere stays mellow.
“I like the feel of it here,” Blin said. “I like the more casual feel.”
The Planet Fitness in south Moorhead will remain open, Dalaney said. He added that there are currently no concrete plans to add locations in the eastern Dakotas or northwestern Minnesota.
Chris Flynn / The Forum
Planet Fitness was founded in 1992 in Dover, New Hampshire.
The company reports that it had 18.5 million total members as of Sept. 30, up from 18.4 million as of June 30 and from 18.1 million at the end of March.
Systemwide same-store sales growth was 8.4%, primarily driven by new member growth, according to interim CEO Craig Benson
Helmut Schmidt / The Forum
Planet Fitness added 26 stores in the third quarter, bringing the total to nearly 2,500 stores in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, Panama, Mexico and Australia, Benson said in a Tuesday, Nov. 7, earnings call for the period ending Sept. 30.
More than 90% of Planet Fitness stores are owned and operated by independent business people.
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