New Gym Offers Fitness Around the Clock
By Bill Walsh
New Gym Offers Fitness Around the ClockBy Bill Walsh
Times-Democrat Staff Writer
The economy continues to be scary, but Andy Stevenson thinks he has a couple of secret weapons to ensure the success of his new business, opened just five weeks ago in the midst of depressing employment figures, consumer confidence indices and ongoing travails in the real estate and automobile industries.
For one, clients of Snap Fitness in the Liberty Station Shopping Center, unlike those at many another fitness club, sign up for membership on a monthly basis as opposed to facing a contract that stretches out over a year.
"We don't rope anyone into contracts," Stevenson said. "We try to keep everybody happy."
A short contract is, perhaps, the number-one reason why Snap Fitness may be more successful in this economy than many another gym, Stevenson said. The company "hasn't seen the effects of the [economic downturn], and I think the month-to-month membership is really a key factor," he said.
"It's not like having to go in and sign up for 12 months. If you're worried about your job, you're a little wary about signing a long-term contract. If you come in and it's month-to-month, you know that if something happens to your financial situation you can just [end the gym membership]. The risk really isn't there. "
For a second, the Snap Fitness model offers its clients access to the gym on a 24/7/365 basis.
"Everybody gets an access card, and they can get in" around the clock, Stevenson said. "We have 24-hour security. This is a small town and everyone knows everyone, and there are no problems. But it is nice to have [the security cameras]. We have people who are in here working out at 3:30 in the morning — first responders, people who work shift work, and, especially, the commuters.," he noted.
"There are a lot of people who leave work at 5:30 or 6, and it takes them two hours to get home," the one time Bealeton-to-Washington commuter said. "By the time they get home and grab some dinner, the gyms are closed. We're not. We have had a great response."
Additionally, your Snap Fitness access card is good around the country.
"There are now about 1,000 'Snaps' in the country," Stevenson said, "and quite a few in Virginia. The card gets you into any Snap in the country. It's great for people who travel; you can get in and work out wherever you want."
A third ingredient for success, Stevenson said, is the Snap Fitness model that allows franchisees to control expenses by paring the number of offerings.
"We are cheaper than a lot of the big-box gyms," he said. "One of the things we realized in this company is if you go to one of the big-box gyms that has a pool and tennis courts and child care, and all those sorts of things, only about 15 percent of the membership uses all those things, but everyone pays for them."
Go into most gyms, he said, and you will likely notice that most people just use the cardio equipment and the weights, "and they want to go home and take a shower in the comfort of their own home," he said..
"We stripped it all down to cardio and weights, and as a result we can keep our rates pretty low.
A resident of Bealeton in the early 1990s, Stevenson believes that the location is perfect for the large and growing number of people sandwiched between Culpeper, Fredericksburg and Warrenton.
"There are a number of people who are trying to make that healthy difference in their lives," Stevenson said, "trying to turn things around, who know that if they want to see their grandkids, their great-grandkids, they are going to have to make some changes.
"Now is about the best time [to join]," he said. "It's time to start making that change for the better in your health, for yourself, for your family."