August 21, 2026 - News

Crunch Brings Boutique Fitness to Big-Box Gyms

Upmarket.
crunch fitness
Crunch

Crunch Fitness is leveling up.

What’s happening: The HVLP gym operator reintroduced its premium banner Crunch Select as an amenity-rich, multi-boutique club.

Boutique-in-a-box. The brand’s mid-tier banner, Crunch Select will open its first revamped club in Long Beach, NY later this year — featuring dedicated studios for HIIT, hot yoga, mat Pilates, and strength training alongside a contrast therapy suite and barbell room.

Upmarket. Applying a new blueprint to renovations and new buildouts, Crunch is upgrading its standard club experience around strength and recovery while rolling out reformer Pilates — meaning higher-priced Select needed an elevation.

Recapitalized in a rumored $1.5B+ deal last year, it’s seeking to scale its 550-club footprint beyond the US, striking deals for India, Mexico, and New Zealand — with new CEO Chequan Lewis calling club redesigns “a new path for growth.”

Secret sauce. Group fitness continues to be the great leveler for gyms across price points, driving both signups and loyalty as exercisers seek engaging formats and community. Bundling the best of the category, boutique-in-a-boxes like Club Studio and the UK’s 1REBEL are maximizing value at a premium rate.

Looking ahead: Mid-tier gyms are a disappearing class. But, as budget brands move upmarket and premium operators double down, there’s still opportunity to bridge the gap.

Ryan Deer
Ryan Deer
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