Where is the best place to open a gym?
So you want to start a gym? Great! First things first is choosing the best gym location. But where do you start?
Choosing the best location for a gym is a complicated process based on many competing factors. However, you can influence a few aspects to help you get the most member sign-ups possible. Ultimately, your decision should reflect your target market and business plan.
Discover our top tips for finding the best place to open a gym, including the best location, how to get good visibility and accessibility, how to beat local market competition, the best type of building and how to find the best place from a business perspective. We also give examples of the best gym locations you should aim for.
Table of contents:
- The location
- Visibility and accessibility
- Local market competition
- The building
- The business scope
- Examples of potential gym locations
The location
When it comes to the best place to open a gym, location is everything. It’s how you find your target audience and keep them coming back. Here are our top tips on how to choose the best gym location.
Demographics: your target audience
To get the best footfall into your gym, you have to take the gym to your target audience. The best result will come from choosing a location with a high percentage of your target audience.
For example, you might choose a business district if your target audience is business professionals. For fitness enthusiasts, you might locate yourself near a university. Or, you might set up a shop in a residential community to target families.
Income level
Remember that only people with a certain disposable income can afford gym memberships or fitness classes. So, you should consider areas where people with disposable incomes live and work. Target more affluent neighbourhoods if your gym offers high-end fitness and wellness facilities and classes. Or, if you are offering a budget-friendly gym, you can target middle-income areas.
A welcoming and safe area
Choosing a gym in a safe area will create a more welcoming environment for members and encourage new joiners.
Proximity to complementary businesses
You might also consider opening a gym near complementary businesses to reach your desired target market. For example, if there are health food stores, wellness centres or smoothie bars nearby, you could more easily tap into a market that values health and wellness.
Visibility and accessibility
Even if you’re in the right target area, you must ensure the location is as visible and accessible as possible.
High-population areas
Choosing an area with a high population will give you the best chance of getting as much business as possible. If your gym is more visible, it’s more likely to stick in the minds of passers-by and prompt them to check you out. High visibility locations, such as shopping centres, supermarkets, or close to busy streets, tend to attract more members because of the higher footfall.
Transport connections and accessibility
Make sure you choose a place that is easy to get to. Whether it’s walkable, near an accessible road or has good public transport connections, all will make it easier for your potential customers to get to the gym.
Parking facilities and accessibility
Equally, if your gym is easy to get to but has insufficient parking facilities, this can be a barrier to people looking for an accessible gym. Ensure your gym also has accessible disabled parking for those who need it.
Local market competition
As well as target market, areas, accessibility and visibility, you must consider the local market and competition. There’s no point in opening a gym where the market is saturated, or you won’t get many new sign-ups.
Competition density
If there are already a lot of gyms in one area, you may want to look elsewhere unless you can find a niche gap in the market and offer something that no one else does.
Look for a gap in the market
Research existing fitness facilities in the area and find out if any niches aren’t being served, for example, CrossFit, yoga studios, luxury wellness clubs, budget-friendly gyms, and reformer pilates studios. If you fill one of these gaps, this could be your perfect location.
Fitness trends
Research any local fitness trends in particular areas that you can fulfil. Some areas might lean towards luxury fitness, while others prefer community-based, budget-friendly options.
The building
As well as location, you also need to think about the premises. Discover the things to consider for the best location for a gym in our top tips below:
Size
Finding the right size for your gym is imperative. You might require a large space, especially for group classes or free weights. Ensure your location accommodates the necessary layout and equipment to achieve the gym you want to open.
High ceilings and natural light
Find a gym with high ceilings and lots of natural light to help create a well-ventilated and welcoming environment. Usually, large warehouses are great locations for gyms because of their size. However, some might lack natural light, so there is always a compromise to make.
Quality construction and energy efficiency
Equally, when setting up a gym, you need to think about the construction quality of the building so that the location is fit for purpose. It might also be wise to look at the energy efficiency certificate to determine how much it will cost to run machines, lighting and air ventilation.
Facilities
Does the location offer the space for all the facilities that you want? Is there space for all the zones you require? Maybe you want to include a reception or waiting area in your gym to welcome members.
Building shape
Look closely at the building shape. Does it fulfil your business requirements, or does it have awkward corners? Spaces with a clear line of sight across the floor plan are better for health and safety. But, if you can’t avoid awkward corners, you may want to consider installing CCTV throughout your gym for good visibility.
The business scope
As a gym business, you must think about your location from a viable business perspective.
Cost
The cost of rent can be the biggest expense when starting a gym. Areas with lower lease rates can help with your bottom line, but don’t sacrifice too much on location desirability to save money, as you could risk not attracting enough members.
Expansion potential
Consider whether the gym location has expansion potential and whether this is important to your long-term business plan.
Zoning and legal compliance
You must check zoning and legal requirements for any building you choose to house your gym. If the location wasn’t previously a gym, you must ensure your building is zoned for gym operations. Also, check for any restrictions regarding noise, parking or limited operational hours.
Consult your local council to ensure you know all your obligated legal requirements for health and safety, including certifications, especially if you’re offering services like personal training, sports massage or child fitness classes.
Examples of potential gym locations
Here are a few ideas for the best place to open a gym with their pros and cons to get you started.
Business districts
Business districts are ideal for high-traffic and convenience-driven gym goers, especially if you want to target customers looking for a quick workout before or after work. However, locating here might mean you’re busy at peak times and less busy on the weekends or during bank holidays.
Residential areas
Residential areas are ideal for family-focused gyms or community-driven fitness centres. The proximity to people’s homes means your members can visit the gym whenever they feel like it and don’t have to travel far, including during holidays and weekends.
Malls or shopping centres
Starting your gym in a mall or shopping centre is great for high visibility and footfall. It will also be easy for people to visit while running errands.
Near schools or universities
University and college students are a huge demographic of the gym member market, and these areas tend not to be too saturated with competition.
Gym installations at FitKit UK
Choosing the best place to open a gym is based on multiple competing factors. The trick is to find the right balance for your business model and target market.
The process should balance the size of the premises you want and the maintenance cost. Equally, if you want a place with more visibility and higher footfall that is easier to get to, you might find the market more saturated with competition. Ultimately, you should conduct market research based on your target audience and costs before deciding on a location.
Once you’ve decided on a location, why not let us help you fit it out? At FitKit, we can help supply and install all the essential gym equipment you need to start your gym; check out our gym equipment packages and equipment and installation service today and start your gym!
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