HEALTH & FITNESS
TIMELINE David Barton Gym openings
1992
Chelsea, New York
1995
Upper East Side, New York
1995
South Beach, Miami
2005
River North, Chicago
business of selling something a lot of people don’t really like. They don’t really want to exercise but they love the results they can get and they love the idea of having a new body. When someone new comes in they tend to imagine how they will look on day two. We really try to get their imag- ination stimulated, to help them to think about how they will look three months down the line. It’s a sexy environment in our gyms, it’s stimulating and it’s fun. It’s also comfortable and inviting – people want to stay there and hang out.
I’ve got to draw people in and make them have a good time while they are there and also make them really want to exercise. They should enjoy doing it and feel good about it. I want mem- bers to think about those changes to their body and their goals, what they want to look like and what they are try- ing to achieve from working out.
Why do people love your clubs? It’s like going to a great party – my gyms have got great people, great sur- roundings, great music. You get high on endorphins, but instead of waking up with a hangover you wake up and look in the mirror and you look better naked. Who wouldn’t love that?
You went into Chapter 11 bankruptcy last year. Have you now emerged from this? Yes, we emerged from Chapter 11 ear- lier this year after six months.
Why do you think you went into Chapter 11? We were in part a victim of bad tim- ing, expanding during a time when the economy was changing drastically. Chapter 11 was a difficult thing to go through, but we’ve come out with a much healthier business. It helped us to restructure. Luckily my members and investors stuck with me through the process, so in the end it was a very positive thing for us. We teamed up with Meridien on the
three new locations and we hope to do more with them. It’s been a great part- nership so far. Right now, it’s just an operational partnership. Meridien is not a capital partner.
You've just opened a club in Las Vegas and are opening two more in LA this summer. What can we expect from the new clubs? Our new club in Las Vegas is beautiful, people love it. Los Angeles is a great market for me. I’m a New Yorker but I’ve always dreamed of having gyms
in LA – it’s where this whole work- out thing started. The new clubs will be more of the same – I try to create gyms where people will feel sexy.
How have you funded the new clubs? Through our investors, who have been with us right from the beginning. I don’t want to name them right now.
What are your plans over the next 12 months?
I’m looking for locations in Las Vegas, which I think is a great market and a great opportunity. I’m always looking in New York, but the real estate market here is a lot tougher than in LA. We’re also looking in some second- ary markets, including Chicago.
How many David Barton clubs would you like to open?
I think over the next couple of years we’ll get to 15 and see how it goes.
Would you ever think about opening gyms outside of the US? I have got a lot of calls from real estate developers, investors and oper- ators in other countries. Certainly it’s an exciting consideration and I’m open to it. I think there are a lot of places where the concept could do so well
Barton is known for his flamboyance 58
David Barton Chicago was the fourth club to open Read Leisure Management online
leisuremanagement.co.uk/digital ISSUE 3 2012 © cybertrek 2012
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