Gyms, fitness centers, and other health clubs have long been absent from most of the malls around the country, but a recent trend has placed these businesses right in the middle of an industry trying to reinvent itself.
According to The Wall Street Journal, malls have found that fitness fills real estate. Now-struggling major retailers are leaving malls, but fitness is a high-income earner draw.
Fitness club memberships have risen by 26 percent since 2009. Unlike shopping, people have to actually show up at a gym. That's something that can't be outsourced to the internet.
New growth in the fitness industry centers on smaller, boutique-style gyms that provide upscale clientele with a more personalized experience. This type of club saw increases of 74 percent in client base between 2012 and 2015 compared to the overall industry's 5 percent.
It's a good fit for malls with vast retail space. After these customers get their workout in, they can shop. Studies have shown that shopping centers have been able to increase rents of neighboring tenants due to sales increases of up to 30 percent in the year following a new gym opening.
With fitness clubs acting as anchor stores in a shopping community, developers are also digging into the overall trend towards being more health-conscious by creating an entire ecosystem for that demographic. Partnering with natural food grocers and restaurants, these locations can serve as a one-stop-shop that saves people time and money.
