As the Birmingham, Alabama-based fitness concept looks to add 10 locations inside the perimeter, ‘scaling people is the biggest challenge.’
Iron Tribe Fitness, a Birmingham, Alabama-based fitness concept that offers group-style personal training, has aggressive expansion plans inside Atlanta’s perimeter.
The company could add as many as ten additional locations in the next four years, Matt White, VP of expansion at Iron Tribe Fitness, told What Now Atlanta (WNA) in an interview Monday.
Iron Tribe Fitness entered the market in 2013 and already has two Atlanta gyms: one is situated in the Ford Factory Lofts in Old Fourth Ward and the newest, which opened its doors in July, is on Howell Mill Road in West Midtown.
As White’s team looks for the third Atlanta location for Iron Tribe Fitness in Vinings, Smyrna, or Decatur (maybe all three), there are several factors being taken into consideration, but “visibility” isn’t one of them.
“Iron Tribe doesn’t need to be in a great location. One of our top locations is very profitable, and you can’t even see the gym from the road.”
But in a market like Atlanta where the brand awareness is growing, ideal locations have tons of visibility and is freestanding, according to White. Other factors include 15 or more parking spaces, 3,000 to 3,500 square feet, and an area for members to run.
White recently moved to Atlanta from Birmingham to focus on the company’s corporate growth inside the perimeter.
“We’ve seen that we can execute the market for our corporate stores at a very high level, but we’re maxed-out in Birmingham.”
Iron Tribe Fitness began franchising in 2012 with a vision of “300 units nationwide” and is focusing on corporate growth in Atlanta.
Iron Tribe Fitness has to be very selective with whom the company sells a franchise, according to White.
“A franchisee has to have a sphere of influence in the area where they want to open a gym.”
Finding the right franchisee is equally as challenging as finding the right staffers at the corporate stores, according to White.
“Scaling people has been our biggest challenge.The key to our growth revolves around our coaches and managers who deliver the high-touch personal experience in the small group setting.”
Where should Iron Tribe Fitness open next? Leave your thoughts in the comments…
5 Responses
Woodstock
I have been a member at the On Ponce location for almost 2 years. I work in Smyrna, and a gym here or in Vinings would be awesome! And my kids go to school in Decatur. So I have a number of people I could spread the word to in both locations. Selfishly, I vote for Smyrna/Vinings first. I’ll keep an eye out for retail space!
Bring an Iron Tribe location to Northern Gwinnett County: Johns Creek, Suwanee and Duluth areas. I live in Duluth and work in Suwanee.
SouthWest Atlanta desperately needs more gyms… LA Fitness, Planet Fitness, and Workout Anytime are not enough. Camp Creek Marketplace would be an excellent location!
Would love one in either Newnan or Peachtree City Georgia