Gym
Healthy ROI . High Value/Low Price . Community Inclusive
The Gym Concept with Monetary Muscle
Retro Fitness franchisees are provided with the tools, support and resources to help ensure success, even during uncertain times.
From owner/operators to area developers, we have a turnkey suite of services to handle all aspects of opening clubs.
Click below to contact our Franchise Development department and get your hands on the roadmap to get started.
WHY FRANCHISE WITH
RETRO FITNESS?
High Value Low Price (HVLP) – Recession resilient space thrives in a down economy.
Multiple Revenue Streams – No other HLVP concept has the ability to earn above and beyond the predictable monthly income from membership like Retro.
Suite of Services for Turnkey Development – Owner/ Operator or Investor, Retro handles all aspects of club development for you.
Executive Leadership Team – Top level executives from diverse industries and major brands including Starbucks, Planet Fitness, Louis Vuitton and Yamaha.
Health is More Important Than Ever – The CDC reports 71.6% of Americans are either overweight or obese which makes fighting viruses difficult. Staying healthy has never been more important.
FINANCIAL
PERFORMANCE
HIGHLIGHTS
$2.2M
AVERAGE GROSS SALES PER UNIT FOR THE TOP 10% OF RETRO FITNESS CLUBS. THE TOP 50% OF CLUBS AVERAGE $1.4M.
$443K
AVERAGE EBITDA REPORTED BY TOP 10% OF RETRO FITNESS FRANCHISE OWNERS. THE TOP 50% OF OWNERS REPORT EBITDA OF $257,000.
5,892
AVERAGE NUMBER OF MEMBERS FOR THE TOP 10% OF RETRO FITNESS CLUBS. THE TOP 50% OF CLUBS AVERAGE over 3,700.
$142
AVERAGE REVENUE PER SQUARE FOOT FOR THE TOP 10% OF RETRO FITNESS CLUBS. THE TOP 50% OF CLUBS AVERAGED $95.
The above numbers are from Item 19 of our Franchise Disclosure Document and cover results from 2019. Read Item 19 in its entirety for important defined terms, assumptions, and qualifiers relating to these figures. Franchise offering made by prospectus only, view our Franchise Disclosure Document for details.
WHAT TYPE OF INVESTOR
ARE YOU?
OWNER/ OPERATOR
- Take your first step into business ownership… with the help of a strong franchise partner.
- Retro provides a turn-key suite of support services to assist your every step including real estate site selection, construction oversight, operational guidance and local marketing.
- With favorable financing and real estate options existing today, this is the ideal time to start a business that gives back to you community by providing a gathering place to improve people’s health and lives.
MULTI-UNIT
- Looking for your next franchise opportunity? Retro Fitness allows owners to diversity their portfolio with a membership model that is recession resilient and doesn’t fluctuate due to cost of goods or high labor costs.
- The “High Value, Low Price” space is booming with consumers looking to get more value from their fitness experience and pay less than expensive boutiques and big box clubs.
- We are engaged in a rapid growth model attracting institutional investors to grow out emerging and infill markets.
AREA DEVELOPER
- Our new executive leadership team has years of experience working with Private Equity funds to fuel expansion and high multiple returns on investment putting us in the position to be the next big brand in fitness.
- Our exciting growth vision features multiple entry points for the model including white space opportunities, infill in existing markets, resales and funding of strong franchisees.
Executive
Team
ANDREW ALFANO
Chief Executive Officer
Retro Fitness is led by Andrew Alfano, a former Senior Vice President for Starbucks who joined Retro after serving as President and COO of an early education franchise company. Read Full Bio
TODD SCARTOZZI
Chief Operating Officer
Todd Scartozzi joined Retro Fitness in 2019 and brings vast executive leadership experience in the gym industry. He also served as COO of Gold’s Gym International, where he directed sales. Read Full Bio
VICTOR BAO
Chief Marketing Officer
Victor has a broad range of marketing, brand, PR and innovation experience, both domestic and internationally, most recently serving as CMO of Global Shopper. Read Full Bio
ROBBIE SPRECHMAN
Chief Financial Officer
Robbie Sprechman has been CFO for Retro Fitness since 2008 and has helped oversee the growth of the brand while crafting win-win solutions to drive revenue growth and EBITDA. Read Full Bio
BECOMING A
RETRO FITNESS
FRANCHISEE STARTS HERE
FINANCIAL
INVESTMENT
NET-WORTH
$2M
LIQUID CAPITAL
$500K
TOTAL START-UP COST
$1.5M – $1.7M
FRANCHISEE FEE
$29K
ROYALTY FEE
5%
MARKETING BRAND/FUND
2%
THE FRANCHISE
JOURNEY
Become a part of Retro Fitness Journey to growth and success.
why retro
is a strong
Investment
for every
Portfolio
Retro Fitness is a hometown gym dedicated to building a strong community within the four walls of the club, while being a fabric of the community outside. All this is done while providing exceptional return on investment for our owners. Our fitness concept has been recognized as one of the nation’s top franchise opportunities by numerous publications, earning write-ups in Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal.
For consumers, Retro Fitness is an attractive fitness destination because of its inclusive community, state-of-the-art equipment, group fitness classes and personal training, and amenities like massage chairs and tanning. It is a one-stop shop for anyone looking to improve their health in a nurturing environment.
For franchisees, Retro Fitness provides an opportunity to make their community healthier and happier while also generating a significant return on investment. Thanks to memberships that start at $19.99 per month, owners enjoy recurring revenue. Personalized training, the Retro Blends Smoothie Bar, and merchandise sales create additional revenue streams.
Franchisees fall into two categories — owner-operators who spend a lot of time in their gyms, and investors who hire general managers to handle day-to-day operations. Regardless of which category they fall into, top-performing clubs provide great experiences that deliver great revenue.
OUR SIMPLE
PROCESS
Retro Fitness was at the forefront of the high value/low price (HVLP) movement and remains an industry leader today, which is why our process can be completed as quickly as your schedule will allow.
Once the agreement is executed, our team of seasoned experts can help you find an ideal location, negotiate the lease, build and equip the center, then hand you the keys.
ONE-ON-ONE MEETING
COMPLETE OUR APPLICATION
REVIEW THE FDD
MEET THE TEAM
EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT
DEDICATED
SUPPORT SERVICES
- Comprehensive assistance in site selection
- Prototypical design and conceptual layout
- Virtual and in-person training for franchisees and key managers
- Initial management training and ongoing business consultation
- Pre-sale support on how to best recruit and acquire members prior to grand opening
- Access to corporate management team for business review and performance analysis
- Regular consultation visits
- Dedicated marketing staff ready to assist with marketing and social media planning
- Vendor partnerships and negotiated pricing assistance with major brands like Life Fitness®
ONE OF A KIND
EXPERIENCE
Retro Fitness gyms provide a unique combination of an affordable, $19.99 per month membership with state-of-the-art fitness facilities that feature tons of cardio equipment with personal LCD television screens, three different types of circuit training equipment, Retro Blends Smoothie Bar, child sitting, tanning, hydromassage recovery lounges and pro shop. Add in personal and multiple group training options and Retro Fitness is way more than just your average gym, offering a one-stop shop fitting any fitness enthusiast’s budget.
RETRO FITNESS IN THE NEWS
Retro Fitness has been consistently recognized as one of the nation’s top franchises by numerous publications. This is the primary reason why our franchise opportunity has been talked about in Entrepreneur Magazine, Forbes, Rolling Stone and The Wall Street Journal along with being featured on MTV, CNN, Fox News and the hit CBS reality series Undercover Boss. See below for the latest news about Retro Fitness.
The CEOs of Life Time Fitness, Self Esteem Brands, and Retro Fitness Defend Keeping Gyms Open as Coronavirus Cases Climb. (Business Insider)
In conversations with Business Insider, the chief executives of Life Time Fitness, Self Esteem Brands, and Retro Fitness make their case for leaving fitness centers open and explain why they belive closing them is a threat to public health.
Gyms Fight To Stay Open As Coronavirus Cases Surge (CNBC’s “Power Lunch”)
Andrew Alfano, Retro Fitness CEO, joins CNBC ‘Power Lunch’ to discuss why he says gyms should be part of the solution.
Retro Fitness CEO Live on Fox Business’ Varney & Co.
Hard charging Stuart Varney believes the fitness industry is shrinking. With 71.6% of America overweight or obese, our CEO Andrew Alfrano laid out why we are not shrinking, how we are growing and how Retro Fitness and the fitness industry has a great opportunity to help get America Healthy.
Relieved to Be Back at the Gym, but Is It Safe? (New York Times Online)
City gyms were allowed to reopen on Sept. 2, but lingering concerns about indoor workouts mean many may not endure
Fitness Services: Where the Industry is Headed (Club Solutions)
“Hybrid at-home and in-club activities and content-driven value through technology — such as mobile apps, social, member pages and celebration or reward for positive actions — which improve health will continue to increase and is something that we have continued to heavily invest in after the pandemic. But at the end of the day, health clubs are not going away and I believe they will actually be more relevant than ever.”, says Andrew Alfano, the CEO of Retro Fitness.
The Virtual At-Home Fitness Boom Is Here To Stay, And Will Usher In A New Era Of Exercising That Will Last Long After The Pandemic Subsides (USA NEWS SITE)
For Retro Fitness — a chain of 150 gym locations across the US — wading into virtual programming during the pandemic ultimately helped to accelerate the company’s pre-pandemic push towards becoming a “lifestyle brand,” according to Chief Marketing Officer Victor Bao.
The Boutique Fitness Experience as We Know it is Dead (USA Latest News)
Gyms offering low-cost membership have grown in number, since they’re now tapping into a market with less disposable income, according to Todd Scartozzi, chief operating officer of Retro Fitness, which has seen a 200% increase in its franchisees in the past 5 months.
Gym CEO says they should have been deemed ‘essential’ (Good Morning America)
Andrew Alfano, CEO of Retro Fitness, spoke with Amy Robach at Good Morning America about gyms reopening and why he thinks it should have happened sooner.
Joe Piscopo on Gyms Reopening in New Jersey (Fox News)
Joe’s talks about gyms reopening in New Jersey after an extended period of time, and the guidelines that gyms will now be following to ensure the safety of members and staff.
FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
When was Retro Fitness founded?
Retro Fitness was founded in 2005 and began franchising in 2006.
How many locations does Retro Fitness have?
Retro Fitness currently has more than 140 franchise locations either open or in development.
What territories are available?
There are potential territories available in all 50 states.
How many Retro Fitness franchisees own multiple locations?
More than 55% of existing Retro Fitness franchisees own or have committed to own more than one location.
Do you have an earnings claim?
Yes, it is included in our Business Model eBook, which you can download here.
What build out options exist for a Retro Fitness location?
The model is highly transferable to various venues to include inline and free-standing buildings in retail, residential and industrial areas.
How much does it cost to open a Retro Fitness franchise?
- Net worth: $2M
- Liquid capital: $500,000
- Total startup costs: $1.5M – $1.7M
- Franchise fee: $29K
- Royalty fee: 5%
- Marketing/Brand Fund: 2%
What is the estimated initial cash or liquid assets I will need to have?
You will need minimum liquid assets of $500k and a net worth of $2MM either individually or cumulatively amongst a group of investors to obtain necessary bank financing.
Does Retro Fitness assist in the design and equipping of my gym?
Yes, Retro Fitness has a “Design Standards Manual” sample floor plan designs and architectural resources to assist in keeping the consistency of the Retro Fitness brand the same throughout the franchise system. In addition, Retro Fitness has a standard equipment package from the industry’s leading manufacturers with substantial discounts to ensure the member experience is similar across all Retro clubs.
Do you offer training?
Yes, we provide training for opening and ongoing operation of your Retro Fitness club. It begins with eight days of training at our corporate headquarters, followed by another eight days of training at your location. Then we stay connected through regular training of your management and staff.
What is the availability of a Retro Fitness location in my area?
Retro Fitness locations are available in all 50 states. The availability of territories will be discussed in full detail prior to signing a franchise agreement.
What are the size requirements for a Retro Fitness?
A typical Retro Fitness outlet is approximately 15,000 to 17,000 square feet and is determined based upon site availability in your preferred market.
Do I need to have prior experience in the gym or fitness industry?
No. In fact, many of our franchisees come from diverse industries and backgrounds with little to no previous industry experience. We will help you hire and train a qualified, knowledgeable team of fitness professionals to best manage club operations.
What are the ongoing royalty fees a franchisee must pay?
5% royalty from the franchised outlet’s total gross revenue.
How much money can I make?
Profitability will vary considerably depending upon such factors as: location, operating costs, financing terms, your ability to manage and control the business, sales and other factors. We do not predict sales or profits for any new locations. We encourage you to discuss this with existing franchisees and your personal advisors.
Will Retro help with the financing process for opening a franchise?
Yes, our dedicated financial broker will work with you in reviewing your finances to determine the best products and services available for financing your Retro Fitness franchise through a network of lenders.
Request More Information
About Retro Fitness Franchise Opportunities
Qualifications: You and your business partners will need $500,000 in liquid capital and $2 million in combined net worth to qualify for a Retro Fitness franchise. To get started, fill out this form.
