Fit Town has been operating at ul. Europejska since December last year. The owners admit that they like physical effort and have been doing exercises for years so, when setting up their own business, they have naturally decided to focus on what interests them most. And they want make money along the way.

“When establishing our club we planned to create something altogether different from what can be found in other clubs in Szczecin” – explains Michał Skudniewski, the co-owner.  “We wanted our club to offer rest and relaxation. Our clients value nice atmosphere, wide-open spaces, they appreciate our modern décor and pleasant smell.

The club offers group classes, gym and a sauna that needs to be booked in advance to enjoy the intimacy. The club is located outside the city centre, amidst new housing developments.

“Our location is not accidental, we are where the young and wealthy are” – says the owner. “One cannot transplant to Szczecin the models functioning in other large cities where people go to the gym early in the morning, then change into their suits and go to work. People in Szczecin still prefer coming home after work, getting some rest, changing and only then doing exercises. But they do not need to go back to the city centre for that  - this is what we are here for.

A different approach is employed in McGym located at ul. 5. Lipca. The owners have decided to use the model that seems to have worked well in their mother country, namely in Germany where they run seven similar establishments. The idea is very simple – you visit the club to exercise so, everything must be made easy.

“We have one large gym with many different machines and fitness equipment available, so you practically never have to wait for your turn” – explains Andy Theverkauf, the co-owner of McGym. “Our members purchase monthly passes at a fixed price and are allowed to visit the club as often as they like.  We offer the services of coaches and instructors who help develop individual fitness plans. There are cloakrooms and showers. We do not offer sauna, aerobics or massages, but our members know what they pay for – if they just want to do some exercise, they can always come to us.   

The owners are now testing this minimalist formula in Poland. Their outlays have been substantial – they have adapted the former Colloseum cinema building and purchased the equipment. They hope that the investment will soon pay for itself and are already planning to open clubs in other Polish towns.

The underlying philosophy of the Ergo fitness club that has been functioning at ul. Tkacka since autumn is quite different. Among its members there mainly are the residents of the nearly developments as well as people who do not like crowds and appreciate cosy atmosphere.

“We do to intend to attract large membership” – says Andrzej Trzeciak, the co-owner of the club. “We cannot compete with large fitness clubs that already enjoy good reputation and have many patrons. But we have our own clientele. Besides, we run the club because we like physical activity – this is not our only business or sole source of income, so generating profits is not of primary importance.

All club owners admit that the fitness market in Szczecin is continuously developing, because Szczecin inhabitants have become more health-conscious. “People now realize that they need to take good care of their body and physical condition” – says Michał Skudniewski. “That is why clubs with different quality standards are needed, so everyone could find what they are looking for. We have decided to set up a high standard club outside the city centre and so far, our plan seems to work out well. It is a business like any other and it is supposed to bring profits, especially considering that establishing a fitness club is fairly costly and it does not pay for itself quickly.

“There is a lot of development potential for many types of clubs” – says Martin Sasse, the co-owner of McGym. “We are located in the city centre, there is no other club in close proximity, so we do not steal other clubs’ members. However, based on our observations, frequenting a fitness club is still perceived as an extravagance in Poland. Our knocked-down prices should change it for the better.

KZ