Cheetah Gym, Fifteen Years of Community
Since 1999, Cheetah Gym has helped work out bods across the North side of Chicago. The neighborhood gyms have been trend setters when it comes to style in health clubs. Their vibe has a somewhat boutique gym/homey feel. Exposed brick, natural wood floors and the occasional plant are intertwined with modern equipment and trendy classes like WERQ and TRX training.
General Manager, Angie Frank feels that the gyms offers amazing amenities such as free towel service, wireless internet, hair dryers, body wash/shampoo and coffee before 10am. She said, “We want people to know about all the perks of being a Cheetah Gym member at an affordable rate. We also want the community to realize the value in small businesses and supporting the local economy.”
They opened the first gym in at 5248 N Clark in Andersonville, 15 years ago. They came into the area just as it was starting its newest revival during which cool shops and trendy restaurants started to open along the Clark Street corridor. The gym quickly became successful and they were able to capitalize on the fitness trend by opening the Bucktown (1934 W. North) and Edgewater (5838 N. Broadway) locations.
Community is literally their middle name as the tag line under the logo reads “Your Community Gym”. Not only have they opened in the heart of the neighborhood centers, they have put an increased focus on the relationships within the gyms. They feel that the clubs are daily gathering places where you can get a great workout in and meet new and old friends. But their idea of community does not end there. To date the gyms have raised well over $300,000 through Team Cheetah events such as TPAN’s Ride For AIDS.
It’s a tough business but Cheetah gym has managed to keep focused on their core values. I have been a member since the opening, and notice that the community which Cheetah Gyms has created is usually not present in others. Yes, I am there to sweat and work out, but people also seem genuinely happy at the clubs. People smile, talk in between sets, and regularly plan to get dinner or lunch in the neighborhood after. This community spirit is not exclusive to Cheetah Gyms, but it is something I have not found in larger corporate clubs. Ms. Frank feels being a local business gives them an edge, “we have been able to create our own unique style through the years and continually listen to our customers to help shape our future plans.”
Congratulations Cheetah Gym on 15 healthy years in the hood.
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