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MAYS LANDING - The region's first Anytime Fitness center has opened in the Festival at Hamilton, the second major fitness chain to move into the area this fall.

Owner Michael Collazo said Monday that Anytime Fitness offers unbeatable access to its members, staying open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

He said Hasting, Minn.-based, Anytime Fitness has more than 1,200 centers in North America and about 15 in New Jersey, and he expects more will open in this region soon. Members can use any of them.

The opening comes a month after another fast-growing chain, Retro Fitness, opened its 42nd N.J. center in Egg Harbor Township.

Fitness centers have remained in surprisingly good shape despite the severe U.S. recession.

According to figures from the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, the number of fitness clubs in New Jersey jumped from 1,027 in 2007 to 1,252 in 2008 - nearly a 25 percent increase in a year - after remaining stable since 2004.

Some of the increase can be attributed to people starting their own businesses as a means of dealing with a difficult economy and employment picture.

But association spokeswoman Rosemary Lavery said Monday that people are reluctant to give up their exercise regimens, especially in more stressful times.

"The recession is affecting every business, but one of the great things about fitness centers is that healthy activity is always going to be good for you," Lavery said. "People are not willing to compromise their health."

The association also expects that fitness centers will get a boost from health care reform's emphasis on preventive care. "Clearly, obesity is a national issue. We're hoping that prevention and wellness incentives get added into the reform plan," Lavery said.

Collazo, who has worked in the industry for a dozen years, said he already has seen businesses adding a fitness center component to their employee health benefits as a way to prevent illness and greater costs.

"Fitness is no longer about the guy who's vain and walks around with big arms, it's about preventing 70 percent of all chronic illnesses," Collazo said. "It can make a huge dent in the cost of health care."

The Anytime Fitness center has 50 pieces of equipment, including cardiovascular exercisers, free weights and cycling machines with computer programs and displays that offer a virtual private spin class, he said. There are two private showers and changing rooms.

Collazo said he chose the Festival at Hamilton location for its high visibility across from the Hamilton Mall. For security, the center has panic buttons throughout the facility and cameras monitoring the parking lot.

He said franchisees can open an Anytime Fitness center for as little as $300,000, but he and his wife invested more to upgrade the equipment to the Star Trac brand, one familiar to TV viewers of "The Biggest Loser."

The center's grand opening, with door prizes and a membership giveaway, will be held at noon Nov. 21. Since opening in September, the center has signed up 200 for memberships starting at $35 per month, Collazo said, half of them from member referrals.

With its always open feature, Anytime Fitness has attracted a number of people from the casino industry, he said.

Contact Kevin Post:

609-272-7250

KPost@pressofac.com

8 comments:

• njboss (1) posts 10:21 pm

  Well like the saying goes "there's 3 sides to every story".. My name is John and my wife and I hate "GYMS". We workout because we care about our well-being and truthfully it feels good (when your done)LOL. We met mike (the owner) at ACME across from where Anytime Fitness is and he was helping a lady (senior)with her groceries and my wife and I praised his efforts. He introduced himself and invited us to tour his newly opened gym. We had never heard of ANYTIME FITNESS and already had memberships at Tilton and had been there for over 7 years. After meeting him and trying out the guess pass he offered us we JOINED. Im so happy we made the change. Mike the owner truly cares about his members. He has shown both my wife and I new workouts (no charge)and its such a great place with fabulous equiptment and positive energy. I highly recomend you try out this gym and dont always believe what people say. I know great people when I meet them and this young fella mike from Anytime is one!!! Good luck mike.. ps Im also telling 10 people how great the gym is ...LOL

• mykexl (1) posts 7:13 pm

  First, I would like to say thank you to Kevin Post and the staff at the AC Press for the great article. Also, I would like to thank my members for helping me create a positive place where mature adults can workout without the judgement. Anytime Fitness prides itself on being a PRIVATE ADULT CO-ED Fitness Facility and our standards are greater then most gyms and I will NEVER apologies for THAT!!! . As for BEACH4LIFE & her sister Laura0520 I'm sorry we could not accommodate your needs but I'm positive the other gyms in the area will be a perfect fit for the both of you & wish you tremendous success with your fitness goals. Healthy Regards. Michael Collazo ANYTIME FITNESS, Mays Landing, NJ 609-625-1999 mayslandingnj@anytimefitness.com

• Stockton (1) posts 10:12 pm

  As a member of Anytime Fitness, I am glad to hear that Mr. Collazo is selective in who joins the club. The price of membership is well worth it considering you are getting brand new equipment, new facilities, and a better class of people in the process. Simply put...."Anytime Fitness is not for everyone!" Best of Luck Mike!!!

• JW1968 (2) posts 7:44 pm

  I've been a member of Anytime Fitness at the Festival Shopping Center since the first day it opened. I've also been a member of two other gyms in the area, and I highly recommend Anytime Fitness over the competition. Not only is Anytime Fitness always open, but it is always clean - spotless to be exact. There are TV's on every cardio machine, a vending machine stocked with water and healthy refreshments, and the owner/manager could not be more friendly, accommodating, and helpful. In the months that I have been going (almost on a daily basis) I have never seen the security system not work. In fact, I've always felt safe, secure, and comfortable while working out. Since joining Anytime Fitness, I've lost twenty pounds, toned up, and I feel great. I plan on being a lifetime member.

• Beach4life (1) posts 7:40 pm

  Needless to say i was extremely excited to find out that there was a small private gym in walking distance to my home...but as the saying goes if something seems too good to be true it probably is... When I first called Mr. Collazo he was extremely defensive and aggressive immediately on the defense with any questions I had to ask. For someone who has been in the industry for years and a new business owner to the area he was quick to bash every other local gym. I found it very hard to get any real answers out of him it was all a sales pitch. After a stressful 10min back and forth convo i decided anyways to go and check the gym out. Like many people know starting a new gym can be an intimidating experience so I was shocked that after i walked into anytime fitness in mays landing NJ I found 3 people working out. I looked around the small area and didn't see anyone working. I had my one week pass with me so I decided I would just work out until the employees came if not i'd call in the morning. Then walked in Mr. Collazo right away with an attitude asking if we were members how did I get in here and did i have an appointment. I'm sorry what happened to Hi how are you welcome to Anytime fitness. Right away he started off extremely aggressive. So much for the SUPER SAFE security system they have. "somebody" forgot to lock the door so i was able to walk right in and set the alarms off. Good thing i wasn't the "intruder" But needless to say I was totally belittled by Collazo and by the end of the conversation told that "he did not really want me as a member and he has the right to deny a membership" What an entrepreneur!!! Clearly he has never taken a business management or marketing class. Most effective form of advertisement is word of mouth and everyone knows if someone has a bad experience they are going to tell at least 10 people!!! Well needless to say I told at least 10 people i work with. Now you know those 10 people are all going tell someone. SHAME ON YOU CALAZZO!!!! Good luck if after you read this you still decide to meet with him.... your going to need it!!!! so for $40/month what do you get fancy tv's a ineffective security system and a RUDE OWNER.

• JW1968 (2) posts 7:40 pm

  I've been a member of Anytime Fitness at the Festival Shopping Center since the first day it opened. I've also been a member of two other gyms in the area, and I highly recommend Anytime Fitness over the competition. Not only is Anytime Fitness always open, but it is always clean - spotless to be exact. There are TV's on every cardio machine, a vending machine stocked with water and healthy refreshments, and the owner/manager could not be more friendly, accommodating, and helpful. In the months that I have been going (almost on a daily basis) I have never seen the security system not work. In fact, I've always felt safe, secure, and comfortable while working out. Since joining Anytime Fitness, I've lost twenty pounds, toned up, and I feel great. I plan on being a lifetime member.

• laurat0520 (1) posts 2:53 pm

  I just wanted to share with everyone my experience last night with Anytime fitness. Although I believe that I love the idea of local gyms, I had the worst experience ever with the manager. When we had spoke with him earlier to get some information on the gym, he failed to mention a few things, he also didn't tell us we needed an appt. to become members. So when got there, we walked straight into the building (which we were told was the safest security system!!!) The manager was then called, and automatically came in with an attitude to my sister and I. When we finally were told the REAL prices of everything my sister then decided she was probably going to join another gym but we were going to try out the 7-day free pass. As my sister was going to get the pass, the manager told me that he had the right to choose who he wanted in his "members only" gym and he quote "really didn't want my sister to join his gym". I thought that this was very bad customer service, especially if you are trying to build up your reputation in an area. I would not recommend this gym to anyone now when you can go to another gym for $10/month less than what you'd pay here!!

• Michael_Delaney_disappears (20) posts 10:51 am

  best of luck to mr. collazo! the more gyms locally, the better. also, we need more self-made people in the business, people like collazo, and towli over at retro. we need quality people at the helm of these centers as opposed to self-absorbed failures who have done nothing on their own other than recycle daddy's money and pretend it is his, like the balding, bespectacled guy who runs somers point fitness.

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