The parent company of gym chain LA Fitness is looking to return to its hometown with the latest expansion of its new fitness concept, Club Studio.
City records indicate that Irvine-based Fitness International LLC, which is reported to have over 700 LA Fitness clubs nationwide, is looking to place a new Club Studio location at Irvine Company’s Orchard Hills Shopping Center, near the intersection of Portola Parkway and Culver Avenue.
The roughly 18,300-square-foot health club would replace a shuttered CVS Pharmacy at the 15.3-acre shopping center, which is currently anchored by a Pavilion’s grocery store.
Zero to 15
Club Studio was launched three years ago by Fitness International, which is one of OC’s larger private companies with annual revenue estimated to be in the $1 billion range.
Rather than a typical big-box gym, the new concept offers what it calls “a cutting-edge fitness experience that brings top-of-the-line amenities, best in boutique studio classes, and wellness services together in one gym.”
The new concept is a twist on the offerings of Orange County’s second-largest fitness chain, Xponential Fitness Inc. (NYSE: XPOF), an Irvine-based multi-brand fitness franchisor.
Xponential, valued at around $370 million, has built up a portfolio of niche fitness concepts like CycleBar, Row House and StretchLab, which have traditionally been based in smaller, stand-alone retail locations.
Club Studio’s first location was launched in another Irvine Co.-owned shopping center, the Oak Creek Shopping Center, at the intersection of Alton Parkway and Jeffrey Road. That spot replaced a shuttered hardware store.
The Oak Creek spot, running around 36,000 square feet, offers a cycling center, Pilates, a hot yoga studio and boxing area, in addition to traditional gym facilities and a pool.
Club Studio’s website currently lists 15 open locations across the country, with another 11 on the way. National reports indicate that new locations, in some cases, could run close to 50,000 square feet.
LA Fitness counts roughly two dozen locations in OC.
2nd OC Location
The proposed Orchard Hills Club Studio would be the chain’s second in Orange County. The chain currently has five open locations in California.
The health club will “offer a variety of amenities, including free-weight and machine weightlifting areas, cardio treadmill machines, a lobby area, and bathrooms and locker rooms,” according to Irvine city filings.
Fitness classes will include a variety of yoga, cardio, spin bikes, pilates offerings, and class sizes are expected to range from 30 to 48 people.
