There is no denying that South Boston residents are an active bunch. From May through October you will often see runners flooding the sidewalks of Broadway and Day Blvd., all aimed at achieving a healthier lifestyle. With such an emphasis on health, is it time for South Boston to add a new gym?
While the neighborhood’s population continues to rise, South Boston’s gym offerings have seemed to remain stagnant in recent years. Although there are a number of gym facilities in the area, the majority target groups with specialized interests including yoga, pilates, and martial arts. These facilities are predominantly located west of Dorchester St., leaving few options for residents of Telegraph Hill and City Point. With a large portion of the Southie population using public transportation to commute, many find it more convenient to join a gym closer to their jobs.
Exercise and wellness services should be readily accessible to members of the community. It is not the intention of this article to insult the gyms of South Boston, but merely to gain feedback from residents regarding interest in a new facility. By completing this quick 10-question survey, your voice can be heard! Take the survey here!
Any questions/suggestions can be sent to the survey administrator, Tyler DeLeon ([email protected]).
Tyler has been a resident of South Boston for 2 years and has worked in the fitness industry for 6+ years. In true yuppie fashion, he can often be found on the field of an SBS sporting event or at the Broadway watching any Boston sports team.
Depends on the what type of gym you’re talking about. If you’re talking full service club like BAC or Equinox….there may not be the depth of demand you would need to be profitable. Industrial space around Southie is EXTREMELY expensive these days and more and more old warehouses are being demolished for multifamily structures. On top of that, retail space is also very expensive and wouldnt be large to accomodate a full size club. Furthermore, the cost of construction is at an all time high, making the barriers to entry VERY HIGH to start anything really.
A good example of a gym that seems to be doing well, but is very small, is the gym at D x W Broadway across shenanigans next to the locksmith.
The East side of town definitely has the demand, the issue is there isn’t much space zoned for commercial and most of it is small, ground floor retail.
Overall, I think you could get away with adding a gym, the issue is having it be profitable and serving a niche that doesn’t seem to be served.
Great read Tyler! I think a gym to serve Southie’s increasingly demanding millennial clientele may be just what the doctor ordered! Although I echo the previous commentor’s sentiments that’s barriers to entry may be difficult to overcome!
Lifted fitness !
Go to Lifted Fitness on Summer Street! They have the best classes AND parking!
How about a normal gym that doesn’t require classes and doesn’t cost +$100 a month! Seems like the cheapest normal gym close to Southie is BSC which is ridiculous!
I would propose a Beacon Hill Athletic Club as a top candidate, but again we we hit the above mentioned barriers.
One angle you might consider is finding an entity with existing extra space that may be able to sub-let it to you. A church or a school or private business thats been around for a while that owns their location outright. They may have more space than they need and could use the extra money. Good luck to you- hope it works out.
The BAC is seriously lacking in classes offered weekdays between 8:00am and 4:00pm!!