Gym proposed for former West Hartford Toys R Us

[giantsfan2016]

The owner of the Corbin's Corner Shopping center is proposing to put an Edge Fitness Center in the former Toys R Us space. A public hearing tonight was postponed due to the weather. Proposed changes include updating the facade, adding windows, and shrinking the space.

[mixedday]

Edge Fitness has a large presence in Connecticut, but it has recently made inroads in the Philly market. It targeted the Philly region including South Jersey and Christiana (Delaware), skipping the in between NY-North Jersey market, for Philly :-)

I have noticed that Edge does add vertical high windows. I suppose they add more windows to a building than what a Planet or LA Fitness would do to an existing building.

In Cherry Hill, an Edge Fitness opened across the Cherry Hill Mall and it's generally very packed. I went into the one in Deptford and was just inquiring about a membership. I do like that Edge has the massage chairs (like Planet Fitness) and the movie theater room (like Retro Fitness). I got a good feeling from the tour, and thought pricing was reasonable, although I didn't join the location.

It's price point is lower than LA Fitness but the Edge Fitness sites do not have a swimming pool.

I'm not sure if the two have any relation, but Cherry Hill lost Retro Fitness (which has a stronger presence in NJ in general), just end of last year, and the Edge Fitness opening might have taken some potential customers. But the two locations are 5 miles apart, so it is more minimal than a direct relation. The Retro Fitness was in a low traffic shopping center that lost ShopRite in 2008, although that former ShopRite will now soon become an Asian grocery store. Retro Fitness like Planet Fitness is franchise as well, so the owner might have just relocated to a random location elsewhere in NJ. Retro Fitness opened in Berlin NJ within 15 miles so it's necessarily shrinking in NJ either. From some parts of Cherry Hill, like where my friend lived, a Moorestown Retro Fitness was the same distance away, at two miles.

Personally, I'm tempted to join but I like that Retro Fitness has locations in Maryland and I travel a lot between Philly and Maryland. I only have a (lack of interest) for LA Fitness. I just dislike their policies in general, although when it opens a new location, it looks nice from the inside and outside. At the price point LA Fitness charges, I'd rather just spend $10-20 more and find a gym where it's less corporate run.