The strategy shift announced April 1, 2026
On April 1, 2026, Workout Anytime — one of the most established affordable 24/7 gym chains in the southern and central US — announced a significant change in its growth strategy. Rather than continuing to expand primarily through ground-up club construction, the chain will now actively facilitate and encourage the conversion of existing gyms to its brand and operational standards.
This isn't just a tactical adjustment. It's a direct response to current commercial real estate constraints and a consolidation dynamic touching the entire fitness industry.
Why ground-up builds became less attractive
Building a new mid-format fitness club (typically 5,000-10,000 sq ft for affordable chains) was already complex before 2022. Since then, several factors have made it harder:
Construction costs have risen significantly. Commercial fitness equipment, construction labor, and materials have all seen price increases. For a franchise partner, the upfront investment in a new club now represents a higher financial risk than 5 years ago.
Timelines have stretched. Between signing a commercial lease, getting permits, construction, and build-out, opening a new club now takes 12-18 months in most markets — sometimes more. That's 12-18 months with no revenue for the franchisee.
Commercial real estate offers conversion opportunities. The wave of independent gym and boutique fitness closures post-COVID left equipped spaces available at often more favorable terms than a standard virgin-space lease.
The conversion logic
Workout Anytime's approach is to enable franchise partners to take over existing gym facilities — whether closed or operated by an independent owner-operator looking to sell — and convert them to the Workout Anytime brand.
The advantages for franchisees are clear:
- Infrastructure already exists: locker rooms, showers, HVAC systems, electrical systems. Part of the build-out investment is saved.
- If the gym was operating, there may be an existing member base to retain. Even partial, that's revenue from month one.
- Opening timeline is reduced — the chain is talking about 3-6 months in favorable cases, versus 12-18 months for a ground-up build.
For Workout Anytime as a network, the benefit is deploying more clubs faster, in markets where the brand isn't yet present — without high entry costs discouraging potential franchise partners.
What this means for independent operators
This strategy is a direct opportunity for two profiles of independent operators:
First, independent gym owners considering selling or exiting the business. Joining a national chain as a franchisee while keeping your facility is an alternative to a full sale. The transition preserves the infrastructure, employees, and sometimes the member base, under a national brand that brings purchasing power and operational systems.
Second, investors looking to enter the fitness sector with reduced risk. Converting an existing gym provides a more predictable path than ground-up construction.
A broader market signal
Workout Anytime's strategy isn't isolated. It fits into a broader trend: fitness chains are trying to grow faster than new construction allows, in a market context where consolidation is accelerating.
24 Hour Fitness, Crunch, Planet Fitness, Anytime Fitness — every major affordable chain is pursuing a volume strategy. In that context, the ability to convert existing assets rather than create new ones is a real competitive advantage. Workout Anytime is formalizing what many had already been doing opportunistically.
For independent operators watching these dynamics, the question is straightforward: in 5 years, will my local market still be large enough to support an independent club against the chains? For those whose answer is uncertain, conversion and franchise options deserve serious study.