A New Equinox is Opening in Chestnut Hill

The main lobby. All renderings provided by Equinox.

It’s exactly (and only) a half mile (via Google maps) between Route 9’s upscale outdoor “strip mall” called The Street and the new Chestnut Hill Square (200 Boylston), which is also an upscale outdoor strip mall, directly across the street from the Chestnut Hill Mall. The weird thing about the new developments is that you can’t really walk between them due to the large median that separates traffic on Route 9. And since the complexes are on opposite sides of the street, you actually have to exit Route 9 and make a U-turn to move between the shops.

That must be why some of the country’s biggest competitors that offer a similar product can exist less than a mile from each other and most likely everyone will succeed. Case in point: The Street’s blow dry bar is Be Styled, and at 200 Boylston it’s Drybar; The Street has a Lululemon, 200 Boylston has an Athleta; and while there are other similarities, the big one is the anchoring gyms. The Street has a Sports Club/LA and 200 Boylston now has an Equinox (and a SoulCycle opening March, which is a bit odd since Equinox has a cycling room, and they own SoulCycle, but I digress). The new spot opens December 19th and will be the upscale gym’s third location in the Boston area.

The (hot) yoga room.

“There has been a huge demand for an innovative, upscale fitness facility in a number of cities where the market is under-served,” says Harvey Spevak, CEO at Equinox. “By opening in Chestnut Hill, our aim is to meet the needs of a discriminating consumer who demands the best and currently doesn’t have the opportunity to get it.”

The new Equinox Chestnut Hill has five dedicated fitness studios that will offer more than 85 classes a week, including Equinox’s first ever barre studio, which will feature Figure 4, a barre method that’s making its Boston-area debut.

In addition to state-of-the-art equipment from LifeFitness and Precor, the club also boasts an indoor swimming pool.

There’s also a spa, a kid’s club, a boutique, and a juice bar. Equinox is also offering a heated yoga room, which is unique for a “big box gym” and the club is making an effort to be “green” by introducing a sustainable program with filtered water, bamboo flooring, and eco-friendly towels.

Sinks in the locker rooms.

Strength training equipment.

Group fitness room.

200 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill, 617-531-7077, equinox.com/clubs/chestnuthill