NEW YORK -- Equinox Fitness, New York, is actively pursuing real estate and expansion opportunities in major urban markets despite the downturn in the economy, according to Equniox CEO Harvey Spevak.
“We are continuing to execute our growth strategy not only for this year but for many years to come,” he says.
Equinox has more than 45 locations nationwide, including four clubs that it opened last year. This year, Equinox has opened a new club on New York City's Upper East Side, completely redeveloped and reopened its original flagship (its 76th Street club on the Upper West Side) and is set to open its second Boston location this spring as well as its first Dallas location.
“We have always satisfied the needs of the discerning fitness consumer who expects both high quality service and results at a value,” Spevak says. “There is still a strong demand for state-of-the-art fitness clubs with highly skilled professionals, innovative programming and fair pricing.”
Equinox also plans to open new Pure Yoga locations, including a flagship studio in Los Angeles and additional Pure Yoga studios in New York City and Southern California. The company originally joined forces with an Asia yoga studio last year when it launched Pure Yoga's first American outpost in New York City.
Meanwhile, Equinox expects 2010 to be another year of active expansion, which will include opening its first club in Bethesda, MD. In addition, the company is actively seeking further real estate opportunities in the New York metro area, Southern California, San Francisco, Boston, and Washington, DC, markets, according to Equinox's Chief Development Officer Jeff Weinhaus.