25 Years of Fitness: Vintage photos — retailers

SNEWS is celebrating its 25th anniversary and we’re including the fitness industry in the party. What better way to celebrate 25 years of an industry than to talk to those futurists who opened stores, built gyms in their garages and tinkered with ergonomics in 1984 — or even before in some cases — to showcase what has been accomplished and what is on the horizon.

Photos? You betcha. We gathered up photos from the past 20 to 30 years of stores, people and equipment, as well as promotional brochures and even a couple of newspaper clippings.

See, below, what the industry’s retailers had to share…. Then look in the SNEWS Magazine Extras section (www.outsidebusinessjournal.com/magextras) in the 25 Years of Fitness section for all the photo spreads of manufacturers, retailers, people and equipment.

Do you have more you’d like to add? Drop us any photos you’d like us to upload to snewsbox@snewsnet.com, with IDs please and the year, and we’ll add them. Meanwhile, got comments? Share your thoughts with the industry in the SNEWS Chat at the bottom of the page.

The Fitness Shop

The Fitness Shop, Beaverton, Ore., 1986, with owner John Potts, showing an exercise ergometer to a customer. The caption notes: “Exercise bikes are still available but many new items of conditioning equipment are available.” The story mentions a brand-spanking new “Paramount Sports Trainer” – for $8,000 – and a Paramount Fitness Trainer for $4,600, then says, “Welcome, America, to the days of the in-home fitness boom.”

Exercise Equipment Center

The grand opening of the first Exercise Equipment Center, Seattle, Wash., 1976. From left to right, Jim Rubstello, founder Leo Rubstello, and Dan Potts, the first employee.

Inside the first Exercise Equipment center store, 1976, with owner Leo Rubstello behind the counter. Note the rows of ergometer bikes.

Inside the first Exercise Equipment center store, 1976. Take a look at the rows of fold-flat rowers on the far right.

HEST Fitness

HEST Fitness, first store, 1986

HEST Fitness showroom, 1980s

If you liked this supplemental material to the SNEWS 2009 Fitness magazine’s article celebrating 25 years of fitness, then you’ll like all the rest too. Be sure not to miss additional commentary from retailer long-timers, more from manufacturer long-timers and some insights from those who are retired, out of the industry or from other related groups.

In addition to the photos in the magazine we have more, with full IDs and other information. Don’t miss vintage photos from manufacturers, vintage photos from retailers, vintage photos of people, and classic photos of old and original equipment.

Then, if you are wondering who is in and what is pictured in each photo on the grid on the Table of Contents page of the magazine, you can find those IDs by clicking here.