Fitness: Movin' & Shakin' – Spirit Fitness buys land for new HQ; plus Fitness Showrooms, FitCorp, Crosscore and more …

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Spirit Fitness (www.spiritfitness.com) has purchased 15 acres of land in its North American headquarters’ hometown of Jonesboro, Ark, with plans to build new offices and a warehouse for the company.

The 28-year-old company, owned by Taiwan’s Dyaco Fitness since 2005, needed room to grow and found a better deal in buying vacant real estate than purchasing an existing building or continuing to rent, Spirit Fitness President Chris Cox told SNEWS.

Cox declined to release financial details of the deal, but public records show Spirit Fitness purchased its new property in Jonesboro for $375,000. The property has yet to be assigned an address. The company plans to build 100,000 square feet of warehouse space and 15,000 square feet of office space, which should cover growth for at least the next three to four years, Cox said.

Spirit Fitness employs 52 people and currently rents about 80,000 square feet of warehouse space and 10,000 square feet of office space at 2601 Commerce Drive in Jonesboro. It handles administration, distribution, warehousing, sales and marketing here, while manufacturing is conducted in Asia.

“Obviously with 15 acres of land, we can grow,” Cox said, noting the new buildings will be built to allow for future expansions. “We’re investing in the company’s infrastructure because we see growth in the industry.” Cox said Spirit Fitness has seen its revenue increase 9 percent so far this year, on top of 14-percent growth last year.



People

• Fitness Showrooms (www.fitnessshowrooms.com), an eight-chain fitness equipment retailer in the New York City metro area, has hired Todd Cynecki as its new vice president to oversee the company’s retail sales force. He previously served as operations and national sales manager at BodyCraft in Columbus, Ohio. In his new post, Cynecki will also serve as vice president of Hudson Steel Co. (www.hudsonsteelco.com), a division of Fitness Showrooms, which supplies its own line of weights, plates and spin bikes for the home and commercial markets in its region. The Hudson Steel company was founded in 2009 and has about 150 products under its mark, Cynecki told SNEWS.

• Fitcorp USA has a new business partner, but not a new face: Craig Lewin, who has worked for the company since he was 15, has become a co-owner as of July 1, the company announced. During his 17 years with the Dallas-based fitness retailer, Lewin was a store manager and has been the top salesman for years. In recent years he has been a district manager. “Craig will be able to spread his wings much further by leading and training the entire sales staff, having a direct impact on the growth of the entire company,” said co-owner Gary Glanger. “Craig’s main focus will be teaching the guys everything he has learned over the 17 years of growing up around my father.” Glanger’s father, Trevor, who passed away in March, founded the store that would become the Fitcorp company in the ’80s. Said Gary, “He looks forward to being there for all of them just like Trevor Glanger was for Craig.”

• CrossCore (www.crosscore-usa.com), a Durate, Calif.-based manufacturer of rotational bodyweight training products and accessories, has hired Mark Livingston as its director of business development. Livingston will oversee sales, business affairs and strategic initiatives and planning. Previously, Livingston served as vice president, brand alliances at Westfield Shopping Centers and director of strategic alliances and sponsorships at Vans Shoes.

• Suspension training company TRX (www.trxtraining.com) has hired Mark Urlage as its senior director for North America commercial sales. Urlage joins the San Francisco-based company armed with more than 25 years of experience in the fitness industry, most recently serving as vice president of sales at Interactive Fitness Holding’s Expresso brand, which provides interactive software for Internet-enabled cardio fitness systems.

• The American Council on Exercise (www.acefitness.org), a nonprofit fitness certification, education and training organization, has promoted Janet Frenkel to chief operating officer. She previously served as the organization’s executive vice president of marketing and sales. In the newly created position, Frenkel is responsible for the implementation and execution of overall strategic objectives as well as providing operational leadership the organization’s core and consumer business. 

Retailers

• Fitness equipment maker Life Fitness (www.lifefitness.com) has opened a new company-branded store in San Juan, Puerto Rico – it’s first in the U.S. territory. Located in the affluent Caparra Area, the store showcases a full-line of Life Fitness cardio and strength equipment for both commercial and home use. The store is owned and operated by Fitness for Life, the exclusive Life Fitness dealer in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands (excluding the Dominican Republic) for commercial and consumer products. The store will also serve as Life Fitness’ commercial operations headquarters for the Caribbean.

• FoxNews did a TV segment July 16 called “Swing and Slide into Shape,” featuring fitness retailer’s Creative Playthings’ high-end playground equipment. With the tagline, “Playgrounds aren’t just for kids,” an area trainer shows how to use a toddler on swings and slides to get yourself a little fitness time too. A lengthy follow-up interview with the company’s Peter Kakridas (fast forward to 4:30) demonstrated the equipment further.

–Compiled by David Clucasand Therese Iknoian