Town Sports International is Opening BFX Studio in Boston
Renderings of BFX studio provided to bostonmagazine.com
The boutique fitness studio trend is not going anywhere, and this fact was not lost on Town Sports International’s CEO, Bob Giardina. The company, which owns and operates big box gyms—New York, D.C. Philly, and Boston Sports Clubs—is changing with the times, and that means jumping on—and improving—the boutique gym bandwagon.
“The industry is changing very quickly. I’ve been in the business since 1974, and I’ve been with TSI since 1981 when we had four clubs, and today we have 160,” Giardina says. “So I’ve seen the transformation of the fitness business. In the last five or six years we started noticing CrossFit, personal training studios, Pilates studios, and in the last two or three years there’s been a big wave of indoor cycling opening up. Well and Good just announced that 23 studios are opening up in the NYC-area this fall.”
That’s why Town Sports International has created a brand new boutique fitness concept called BFX Studio. The luxe boutique spots will offer Ride Republic (spin classes), Master Classes (barre, HIIT, Pilates, and more), and personal training. The studios will offer these classes in an intimate boutique setting with high-end amenities (spa-like locker rooms outfitted with organic products) and a high-tech environment (self-check-ins, tracking technology, and more).
“We thought about opening a spinning studio or a cross training type studio, but we decided to become a more complete studio, because as your life changes you are going to want to mix it up a little more. You can do a lot of different things within the facility,” Giardina says.
BFX Studio opened its first location in NYC’s Chelsea neighborhood last month and it’s second location will be near Wall Street. But, the third location is heading our way, on Boylston and Exeter in the Back Bay. Construction is already underway, and Giardina says they hope to be fully open by March 2015—pending any winter weather emergencies. Also interesting: There may be more than one Boston location. “We are looking for a second location in Boston right now,” he says.
While BFX Studio is a primary focus of the company, Town Sports has not lost sight of what it is as a company. “We [are going to] continue growing our existing core business which is what you are seeing with [new club openings] in Dorchester, Wayland, and Canton,” Giardina says. “We are a growing company, and we want to stay ahead of the curve yet not forget about who we are and where we came from.”
BFX Studio’s first Boston location will be on the corner of Boylston and Exeter. Visit bfxstudio.com for more information.
