REGYMEN Fitness Franchisee Celebrates a Successful Reopening in Florida

The COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States hard at the beginning of March, forcing the closure of businesses across the country. As the owner of one of those businesses, Gretchen Mitchell immediately started planning to reopen her REGYMEN Fitness studio in Clearwater, Florida, whenever the CDC would permit it. Knowing she and her team would have to strengthen their health and safety routines, Mitchell took the time to strategically plan throughout the studio’s closure to ensure they would be prepared to open.

Mitchell was able to reopen her REGYMEN Fitness studio by May 18, and signed 12 new members who joined her studio within the first week. Mitchell invested in a DS1 spray, a disinfectant that kills COVID-19 on contact, instructing her staff to spray the studio down with the substance after each customer uses equipment. She has also ensured that members who are choosing to use equipment have space to stand six feet apart and that those who are interested in taking classes will be restricted to a limited size. Members are required to wear a mask in the studio and must use every other workout station in order to properly enforce social distancing.

“Everything that we were doing before is completely different,” said Mitchell. “We rearranged the entire studio. As soon as members walk in the staff goes through and wipes everything down. Social distancing is required in our studio, and we’re trying to do our best so that no one is in contact with any other member.” Mitchell notes that the entire team found a new way to operate;  from the way they bring members into the workouts, to a new structure of the classes, REGYMEN and our team were able to meet the required safety protocols while still ensuring an energetic and exciting experience for the members.

The challenge in Florida, however, has been a second wave of the virus that hit Clearwater hard at the beginning of June.

Florida quickly became the epicenter of the virus; Mitchell said they are doing everything in their power to combat that. The people who feel comfortable going to the grocery store and running similar errands are the demographic the studio owner is targeting for new membership.

The June setback has not stopped Mitchell and her team from shifting their processes to meet the needs of their members, and those returning have been incredibly happy with their results. According to Mitchell, multiple members have dropped significant weight that they gained during the quarantine period; their motivation to get up and out of the house has increased significantly now that the studio has returned to operations.

“Our members have been so committed post-quarantine and loving the results they’re seeing,” said Mitchell. “Our community at the studio has really embraced the challenges of the pandemic and run with them. Everyone has been so supportive of each other even with social distancing standards, and they’re all hitting impressive health and fitness goals as a result.”

Mitchell said REGYMEN’s corporate team has also been incredibly helpful during this time, providing guidance on how to move forward with adjusted business. From offering free online workouts at the height of the quarantine, freezing memberships during studio closures, and introducing the new REGYMEN ON DEMAND in studio workout, REGYMEN has been there to provide support for its franchisees every step of the way amid these difficult times. REGYMEN also instituted a bi-weekly payment system to help folks pay their dues in segments and fit with their pay schedule. The changes have been a big help in the overall satisfaction of their customers.

“Corporate has been very supportive,” said Mitchell. “They’ve been doing what they can to make sure we, the franchisees, can survive. Very few people have canceled their memberships and I think it's because of REGYMEN’s creative initiatives to keep people engaged.”

E.K. Navan, co-founder of REGYMEN Fitness, expressed a vote of confidence in franchisees like Mitchell, saying it’s their efforts in the tough times that will help the brand expand in the coming months. The brand’s development team is eyeing another 9 locations opening by the end of 2020.

“Our corporate development team has its sights set on the Florida area,” said Navan. “And it’s people like Gretchen who will help spread the word of our excellent services. We want to convey to current and future members that we’re taking the conditions of the pandemic very seriously. When our franchisees succeed in gaining the trust of community members to keep them safe in our studios, that’s when we find the opportunity to reach more people and help them meet their health and fitness goals.”

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), heart and lung health are of the utmost importance right now. Mitchell says that their services are more important than ever to help members achieve pique health and wellness, and her team is willing to do what it takes to ensure that their members can safely use their facilities to combat any future health or medical issues.

“Keeping up with your health is so important right now,” said Mitchell. “It really goes beyond protecting yourself with masks and social distancing; keeping your heart and lungs in pique shape can help people fight complications with the virus. If we can help people stay healthy, we’ve done our job.”