--- title: "How Fitness Premier Is Revitalizing Communities, One Gym at a Time" url: https://burnaze.com/article/e0ee4ba0-b0d5-4085-a773-b6358b6b10c1 source: "1851 Franchise" original_url: https://1851franchise.com/how-fitness-premier-is-revitalizing-communities-one-gym-at-a-time-2718167 category: "Gym & HVLP" industry: "Fitness" segment: "Gym & HVLP" published: 2022-03-07T21:16:00.000Z modified: 2026-11-01T01:20:08.562Z image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/7d66bb753d4efcbe596cc8730f68c8583591.jpg --- # How Fitness Premier Is Revitalizing Communities, One Gym at a Time **TL;DR:** Fitness Premier 24/7 Clubs is revitalizing communities by converting older gyms into cleaner, safer, and more welcoming fitness studios, offering a lucrative business opportunity for fitness-oriented entrepreneurs. The brand is expanding into new markets, aiming to establish 12 clubs in 2022, with much of the development coming from conversions. *originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2022-03-07. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/how-fitness-premier-is-revitalizing-communities-one-gym-at-a-time-2718167).* ## Story Fitness Premier 24/7 Clubs , the Illinois-founded, fitness franchise, has made a name for itself in the franchise industry in recent years by offering a uniquely lucrative business opportunity for fitness-oriented entrepreneurs, but as the brand expands into new markets, it’s proving to be more than just a boon for franchisees; it’s also uplifting city centers and downtown areas by converting older gyms into cleaner, safer and more welcoming fitness studios. “When we started this brand, our vision was focused on creating the best possible fitness experience for customers,” said Jason Markowicz , the brand’s CEO. “What we didn’t expect was the extent to which our clubs would help to completely transform their neighborhoods.” Three years ago, multi-unit Fitness Premier franchisee Eric Greenhill acquired an old Peak Fitness gym in Minooka, Illinois, and converted it to a Fitness Premier, bringing the unique fitness model to the existing facility Not only did those original members eagerly get on board with Fitness Premier’s model and high-end amenities, like personal training, group fitness and virtual classes, the studio rapidly onboarded a raft of new customers, considerably growing the membership base. “We are bringing a lot to the table, not just in our club but to the entire Minooka community, which received a shot in the arm as we got up and running,” he said. Critically, the conversion also helped bring new life to downtown Minooka, with its thriving membership base bringing business to other local establishments, who in turn reinvested in their own growth and the growth of the local marketplace. “The great thing about small towns is that everyone who wants to workout goes to the same place, so it really becomes a community thing,” Greenhill said. “The past couple of years have been tough for everyone, but people are more invested in their health and community than ever before, and we provide a fantastic outlet for that.” More recently, Fitness Premier took advantage of an opportunity in Monticello, Illinois to purchase a facility from a gym owner who was looking to retire. The brand completed its conversion in early 2022 and is already seeing a dramatic influx of new members. “People in our community have been extremely supportive because they are excited about the changes we are implementing,” said Emily Jannsen, who owns the Monticello Fitness Premier location. “New equipment and amenities have pulled in a lot of new people. We doubled our membership in the first month. Word travels fast in a small town, and people who experience the changes we’ve made are encouraging their friends to come check out what we are doing.” Not only are newly converted Fitness Premier studios retaining members from the previous gyms, they are also retaining staff. “Anytime we do a conversion, we are adamant about keeping on existing staff whenever possible,” said Markowicz. “Part of that is about making a smooth transition, keeping existing members comfortable and tapping into the knowledge and skill sets of employees who have been doing good work for years, but another big part of it is that gainful employment is essential to uplifting any community we enter. So as community revitalization becomes a bigger and bigger part of our mission as a brand, so does keeping existing team members on board.” In 2022, Fitness Premier is embarking on its most ambitious growth year to date, aiming to establish 12 clubs in markets across the country. Much of that development, Markowicz says, will come from conversions. “We are currently looking at valuable conversion opportunities in Port Charlotte, Florida; Green Bay, Wisconsin; and Peoria and Rockford, Illinois, among other markets,” he said. “These are excellent opportunities for entrepreneurs who have experience with existing gyms to elevate their business and their entire communities by adopting our playbook and taking their club to the next level.” Fitness Premier 24/7 Clubs is a fast-growing, 16-location, fitness concept that creates a community with its staff and members to drive a fun and effective environment that fosters great results! Backed by franchise executive, Jason Markowicz and his franchisee-focused corporate team, Fitness Premier differentiates itself with great people, culture, and systems compounded by a growth focus in strategic yet smaller markets where some fitness brands would not think to grow. To learn more about franchise opportunities, visit . ## Entities - 1851 Franchise (publication) - unit expansion (topic) - franchise growth (topic) - Fitness (sector) - Fitness Premier (company) - Jason Markowicz (person) - Green Bay, Wisconsin (location) - Rockford, Illinois (location) - Minooka, Illinois (location) - Port Charlotte, Florida (location) - Peoria, Illinois (location) - gym conversion (topic) --- Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/how-fitness-premier-is-revitalizing-communities-one-gym-at-a-time-2718167). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/e0ee4ba0-b0d5-4085-a773-b6358b6b10c1).