Chuze Fitness Looks to Double Footprint, With Former Aldi Exec Leading Charge

Chuze Fitness has appointed Jon Eckman as chief development officer to lead a national growth plan, aiming to double its locations over the next five to six years. Eckman, a former Aldi executive, will focus on long-term strategy for the high-value, low-price (HVLP) gym chain and will oversee real estate, design, construction, and club setup functions.

Growth Strategy

"Looking into next year, we have new clubs coming in the San Diego market, the Sacramento market and the Colorado market," Eckman stated. "Alongside that organic pipeline, we are also evaluating potential acquisition opportunities that would allow us to enter markets with real mass and scale rather than building presence one club at a time."

Opening new clubs is a lengthy process, requiring thorough due diligence. Currently, Chuze is in a "ramp-up" period, concentrating on building its development pipeline, refining internal processes, and strengthening vendor and partner networks to achieve its expansion goals.

"My focus in the near term is identifying the right real estate opportunities, streamlining how real estate, design, construction and pre-opening work together, and making sure every new club we deliver reflects the welcoming, high-value experience that defines Chuze," Eckman added.

Chuze currently operates over 50 clubs across seven states; doubling its footprint would result in more than 100 locations. Eckman indicated that the brand plans to strengthen and saturate its existing regions, such as California, Colorado, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, before exploring new territories.

Market Saturation

"When you build density in a market, everything gets better," he explained. "Members have a club closer to where they live and work, our marketing dollars work harder because we are speaking to one media market instead of many, our operations teams can support each other, and our brand becomes part of the fabric of the community rather than a single location people happen to drive past."

However, Eckman mentioned that the brand is continuously exploring all options and vetting new opportunities, including potential expansion into new states. "We are touring with brokers in markets where there is no Chuze location today, and we were on the ground evaluating new opportunities as recently as last week," he said.

Leadership Experience

During his tenure at Aldi, Eckman managed market entry strategies for Las Vegas and oversaw expansion in New England and Arizona. This experience provided him with key insights into prioritizing and entering specific submarkets.

> "Open in the right places first and you reach a broader customer base, you open with a strong membership base, and the model for growth in that market becomes sustainable," he explained. "Get the sequence wrong and you spend years trying to recover from it."

Beyond expansion, Chuze is also investing in gym upgrades, including adding recovery amenities like contrast therapy. Eckman also revealed plans to introduce new fitness experiences, such as Pilates studios, as boutique concepts increasingly integrate into traditional gyms.

"We are actively renovating our clubs, with more full-scale remodels happening in the Denver market," Eckman said. "Investing in the clubs we already have is just as important to us as opening new ones, because the member who has been with us for five years deserves the same evolution of the brand that a new member gets on day one."