Exercising Options at Town Center
By Barry Scher
Healthy competition is growing in the Parole area of Annapolis. Visitors to the Annapolis Town Center will have two choices for exercise and fitness by this fall.
Snap Fitness, a 24-hour exercise facility, opened their new 8,200-square foot facility on Jan. 31 at the north end of the shopping center between Einstein Bagel and Mission BBQ. This fall, Life Time Annapolis, which bills itself as an athletic resort destination, will open in the 42,000-square foot space adjacent to Bed Bath & Beyond previously occupied by 24 Hour Fitness gym. The space has been vacant for the past two years.
The Snap Fitness facility features state-of-the-art exercise equipment in separate training areas for cardio workouts, resistance training, and functional training exercise programs. Professional personal trainers are on hand daily to assist members. Snap Fitness’ general manager Brandon Schuchard may be familiar to local “gym rats” as he was previously the fitness manager of 24 Hour Fitness in Annapolis.
Snap Fitness is owned by Annapolis entrepreneur Brad Callahan who says he is searching for a site for a second location in Anne Arundel County. “I am a firm believer in hiring the best people to run my business enterprises,” said Callahan. “I’ve brought on Brandon as he has a wealth of experience managing a large fitness athletic facility and is also a certified personal trainer.”
Schuchard said he is very proud of the public acceptance the new facility has received in a very short period and proudly stated “over 250 new members have already joined.”
Snap Fitness offers a tiered month-to month pricing plan with no annual member contracts or processing fees for new members. Monthly fees start at $58 and include the assistance of personal trainers who work with all new members to provide advice and guidance. Snap Fitness also offers group classes and limits the number per class to no more than 15. Members can use a free smartphone app to track their personal progress plus participate in exercise regiments at home.
The Annapolis gym joins three other Snap Fitness facilities in Maryland located in Fallston, Joppa, and Mount Airy. The company operates over 2,000 athletic facilities in the U.S. and overseas.
Once open, Life Time Annapolis will feature “a healthy way of life experience and amenities for everyone from 9 months to 90+ in a resort-like facility.” The club will feature studios for cardio and strength, indoor cycling, Pilates, and yoga classes, along with designated spaces for personal, one-on-one training as well as Life Time’s signature small group specialty training programs. There will also be extensive programming for children in the Life Time Kids Academy plus programs and events for older adults. The new planned facility will also feature a two-lane lap pool and juice bar. Monthly membership prices typically range from $169 to $249.
According to Natalie Bushaw, vice president of corporate communications, “the feedback we most frequently hear from new members is that they feel like they went to a resort after visiting our club.”
Life Time plans to open a Preview Center this summer at Annapolis Town Center. Currently, Life Time operates over 150 facilities in the U.S. and Canada.
Why have two athletic facilities in proximity? Jack Kelly, an Annapolis commercial real estate investor and broker, said, “From my viewpoint, competition is good for the consumer. Each athletic facility will obviously offer unique healthy lifestyle programs and activities, and the user has a choice to join whichever gym meets their individual needs. What could be better?”