Upscale gyms offer more than a workout
By jeffrey t. lavery
When it comes to keeping clients in shape, some area health clubs go above and beyond building biceps and serving up protein shakes.
One of these luxury gyms, Bosse Sports in Sudbury, features a concierge to help clients with everything from fitness scheduling to auto detailing. The Adirondack Club in Franklin installed an inflatable dome over its tennis courts to give members access through the colder months. And the Longfellow Clubs in Natick and Wayland offer its members therapy and rehabilitation through their association with health care organizations.While most gyms get by with updated equipment and personal trainers, these facilities uncovered a niche market of corporate executives whose families want more than a weight room. According to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHSRA) in Boston, individuals with household incomes over $100,000 account for 33 percent of all health club memberships, making for a viable client base.
"Clubs that offer things like spas and pools create more than just a workout atmosphere," says Rosemary Lavery, an ISHRA spokesperson. "It’s a place where you can work out and interact with members and relax."
Amenties entice members
In Sudbury, D.J. Bosse saw a market that needed what he was selling: A facility built around families that acted as hybrids, slotted between the country club and a gym. With that, Bosse Sports became a haven for the 500 families that currently use the facility.
"With our members, the father is corporate – management, hedge funds, lawyers," says Bosse. "And there was a huge void in the market for families to get service to the hilt."
With amenities like indoor rock climbing, on-site spa and concierge service that will even shine your shoes, Bosse Sports pampers its clients. However, that prime service comes at a cost: Initiation fees ring in at $8,000, plus $500 in monthly dues. Despite the costs, Bosse notes the club has a retention rate of 96 percent, far above the average of 69.2 percent recorded in 2004, according to the ISHRA.
The Franklin-based Adirondack Club bills itself as a place where the owner spends seven days a week servicing the needs of 4,900 members from six-figure backgrounds. "The vast majority of our members earn between $105,000 and $140,000," says owner Bob Hinrichs, who built the tennis club. "The market has shown that while a lot of places offer ways to stay healthy, our clients come here for the environment."
While he admits his is not a high-margin industry, the club enjoys a 15 percent profit margin, extending beyond the industry average of seven percent.
The Longfellow Club serves members at facilities in both Natick and Wayland. While members enjoy access to pools and squash courts, president Laury Hammel notes it’s the extra attention
to members that makes attracting members possible. Affiliations with organizations like Integrative Therapeutics offer members access to healing modalities, a popular feature of the club adds Hammel.
Several area firms have corporate memberships through the Longfellow Club, including EMC and Moldflow Corp. Hammel says that those companies choose Longfellow for more than the equipment.
"Our corporate members love the look and feel of the club," says Hammel. "Clubs are places where people go to not only get healthy, but to enjoy the company of others."
Jeffrey T. Lavery can be reached at jlavery@wbjournal.com
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