2025 Issue 3 | GearedUp
Remodel Continued from page 29
underneath the machines can be scrubbed before the new equipment is delivered,” said Wolfe.
At Eclipse Fitness, they take the necessary steps during equipment delivery dates to ensure the gym is prepared for the installation team.“ We make sure to give ourselves the time we need to move equipment and have the club ready to go at the 7 a. m. installation time. Personally, it helps me to keep a physical print out of the new and existing layout plus the order sheet. As items come in, checking off the list and taking any notes of damaged or missing equipment has saved me a lot of time trying to think back on anything I could have missed during the excitement of an install,” said VanMeter.
National Fitness Partners designates a person on staff to help with the equipment delivery.“ We have a member of our maintenance team on-site for every equipment delivery. They are responsible for confirming all pieces are delivered and placed in the appropriate location as well as documenting any damages. In addition, they ensure the installation crew cleans up any debris they may have created,” said Schively.
On the day of the equipment installation, Cera and Taymax lean on experience to keep the process moving.“ First, you need to meet with your installation team lead to review the layout. While the layout gets you close to what the final placement will be, walking the space in person with the lead is important to ensure everything will fit as intended. There are times where you might have to review different placement options and align on what is best for the club,” he said.“ Having the club set from the night before helps accelerate this process by being able to see the vision for the layout ahead of the new equipment arriving, so you can be proactive with any potential issues / options that might present themselves.”
For easy delivery, Flynn Group uses loading docks to bring in the new equipment when available.“ For those clubs with loading docks, we have been utilizing the docks instead of the front doors for the equipment deliveries to mitigate dirt and debris being brought in, which is not only helpful for cleaning purposes but saves from potentially damaging the rubber floors. Neighboring tenants appreciate the truck deliveries in the rear as well as it does not temporarily block storefronts,” said McInnis.
Unfortunately, a club can be as prepared as possible during the equipment delivery process, but sometimes, something unexpected happens and a shipment can be delayed. When this happens, franchisees have options.
“ When we are aware that certain essential equipment is delayed, we found that keeping specific older pieces until the new replacements arrive has been received well from our members. Shifting our layout to fill gaps in space or placing‘ coming soon’ signage on or around the area also helps generate excitement and allows the members to know we are going to keep improving their experience,” said VanMeter.
dealing with downtime
During the delivery and re-equip / remodel process, there may be downtime in the club. This break can give offer muchneeded time for workers to get ahead on tasks that may have been neglected.
“ If we are doing a remodel, we encourage them to go through storage rooms and offices, throwing out anything that may have accumulated over the years that they no longer need( furniture, shelving, displays, old signage, etc.). With the equipment out of the way, our staff outfits our floor scrubber with a more aggressive pad and cleaning agents and gets to work! This can breathe new life into an older rubber floor that has‘ lost’ the purple and yellow color,” Schively said.“ Any equipment that is not being replaced is given a thorough inspection and repaired by our maintenance staff during this time as well. If TVs need to be replaced on the truss or we need to upgrade Wi-Fi or portions of our POS, that also occurs while the club is closed. We want to make a good impression on our members when we re-open.”
At Gym Management Services, the pause in regular operations offers time for team training.“ We use this time to have a staff meeting and do some staff training on the new equipment. This is always a good time to get caught up on any other training needed,” said Cecelia Newman, president / managing partner at Gym Management Services.
From previous re-equips and remodels, Flynn Group has discovered the importance of cleaning and touching up parts of the club during the process.“ Schedule extra time to clean the deck, fans and ductwork if necessary. If it’ s a strength re-equip and we have a black deck, we schedule time to clean and paint it white. Check your rubber – re-equips are a great time to replace if necessary,” said McInnis.
Midwest Fitness Partners also takes advantage of any idle time by having its team do a deep clean of the club and make any club adjustments as needed.“ For remodels, we use the downtime to complete a thorough deep cleaning, address any building repairs, touch up paint, and refresh retail and member-facing areas,” Hamilton explained.“ We also evaluate the current layout and consider adding new equipment as needed. For example, during a recent remodel at our Florence, Kentucky, location, we added plate-loaded and half-rack pieces even though no new equipment was initially planned. Exterior updates such as parking lot paving and landscaping are also reviewed and refreshed as needed.”
equipment donations
Oftentimes in a remodel or re-equip, Planet Fitness franchisees look to give old equipment new life. The pieces are often donated to first responders like police departments and fire departments, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, schools and so forth. However, some franchisees get creative and donate to other organizations. This year, Eclipse Fitness Group donated fitness equipment to Camp Southern Ground, a nonprofit supporting veterans through free programs for career transition and wellness as well as kids through inclusive summer camps.
“ Donations during this time are one of the most rewarding parts of the process,” said VanMeter.
These donations can show local residents that Planet Fitness cares about the communities where its clubs operate. Cera shared that Taymax has been able to donate fitness equipment to the Boys & Girls Clubs and local fire and police departments, who are all appreciative of the donations. When fitness equipment is donated to organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs, it keeps youth active, while fitness equipment donated to local emergency agencies can help provide first responders the tools they need to remain strong.
“ In addition to donating to Boys & Girls Clubs and our first
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