After the Christmas rush, the Kennewick Hastings store will close and work will begin on a $3.5 million renovation project to transition the 45,000-square-foot retail store into a full-service Gold’s Gym.
But Hastings fans shouldn’t fret.
Hastings officials assured the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business that they are actively seeking another spot for the store.
“The Kennewick store has always been very good for us,” said Sue Dasse, Hastings vice president of sales, who is based in Texas.
Dasse said the company’s lease on the space expires Dec. 31 and the company is looking for a building that is slightly smaller.
“Our stores average around 25,000 square feet and that space is too big for us,” Dasse said.
The space is about 36,000 square feet and will be even larger once the renovations are complete, said Bill Roberts, Gold’s Gym manager.
Roberts, who recently moved to the Tri-Cities from Boise, said he doesn’t want anyone to think Gold’s Gym was muscling Hastings out of the spot.
“I love Hastings and go over there all the time,” he said. “The building was available and it was a great location for us.”
Gold’s Gym opened Nov. 2 in a much smaller retail space — about 3,600 square feet — a few doors down, but the current spot is temporary.
Roberts, who has managed Gold’s Gym for a Boise franchisee for the past five years, said they hope to open the new gym by July.
It will include a group exercise room, a pool, two racquetball courts, basketball court, kid zone and even a cardio cinema, where members can exercise on cardio machines while watching movies in a theater-style atmosphere.
Roberts said the new gym will have 160 pieces of resistance training equipment, 120 cardio machines, a three-lane lap pool, Jacuzzi, steam room, dry sauna, full-service locker rooms and a women’s-only workout areas.
The kid’s club will be “fully interactive,” Roberts added, with video game consoles that encourage physical movement and development of hand-eye coordination.
“It’s one area where we plan to go above and beyond,” he said.
Roberts said the Salt Lake City, Utah-based investment group that holds the franchise and is building the gym spent nearly two years doing market research before deciding to open it in the Tri-Cities.
“The Tri-Cities is one of the top three strongest economical markets,” he said. “Based on our research, this was the best place to come.”
Roberts said some people have a preconceived idea of Gold’s Gym being filled with Arnold Schwarzenegger-style body builders, but that’s an old-school notion.
Today’s Gold’s Gym are family-friendly and staff are focused on whole fitness and promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Right now, Roberts has about 18 full and part-time employees, including personal trainers who are required to obtain three different certifications.
When the new facility opens in July, Roberts expects to have up to 70 workers.
Roberts said the gym already has more than 1,300 members and, although the current facility is small, now is the best time to join.
There no enrollment fee and new members can join for $24 per month through the end of the year. If a new member brings in another new member, they can secure that low fee permanently.
But membership fees will increase as the new gym opening gets closer, and enrollment fees will also be added.
Roberts said his goals are to make sure every member feels like they are part of something and to be a good community partner.
“We want to work with other businesses and create partnerships for community and charity events,” he said.
Gold’s Gym is at 109 N. Ely St. in Kennewick. The phone number is 736-1465 and more information is available on the Web at www.goldsgym.com.
by Mary Hopkin
Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business
