A personal fitness business based in Halesfield 19, Telford has celebrated its first birthday by opening its second studio in Shrewsbury as part of a five-year drive to expand into 150 locations nationwide.
HITZone owners Stuart Cain and Jodi Ambrose are working closely with licensee Christine Heath to establish the new studio at 1 Sweetlake Court, Sweetlake Business Park, Mercian Close, Longden Road, Shrewsbury, which opened for business last week.
Christine has let the 1,614 square foot, end of terrace, single storey unit, which has designated car parking spaces, through commercial agents Halls’ Shrewsbury office. The property was marketed with an annual rent of £14,500.
Having been persuaded by an enthusiastic friend to attend HITZone in Telford last December, Christine quickly became hooked. She loved the personal fitness experience so much, that she asked if she could set up her own HITZone studio under license in Shrewsbury.
“My friend was raving about HITZone, saying she felt she had more energy and was more confident because she was working out,” she said. “As soon as I walked in, it was really welcoming and very different from a normal gym. You get a 25 minute, high intensity, personal trainer led session and a camaraderie develops with the other people exercising with you in the studio.
“I had really good results, felt much better in myself and enjoyed meeting people. In three months, my body was transformed and I am now eating more healthily as well. Because I feel better about myself and have more energy, it has given me more confidence.”
Christine is hoping to initially build membership to 50.
Stuart explained that HITZone provides exercise for people who don’t normally work out, with a focus on exercise, nutrition and lifestyle for members of all ages and fitness levels. Each fitness session is limited to six people.
“The reason we have been successful is that we solve the three barriers to exercise: motivation, time and cost,” he said. “Christine is our first HITZone licensee and we are currently in talks with five more interested people. Our aim is to have 150 studios nationwide within five years through a combination of licensees, owned studios and joint ventures.
“We have a very robust business model which is easily replicable. The space needed for a HITZone studio is no more than 750 square feet and the building is one of our top considerations. The Shrewsbury studio is perfect and there is no more powerful experience than someone who enjoyed HITZone so much that she wanted to own her own.”
Rebecca Welch, from Halls Commercial, said the company was delighted to have found the perfect building for Christine to establish the HITZone studio and wished the new venture great success.
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