Club Athletic, the New York-based social fitness concept newly rebranded from The Athletic Clubs, today announced the opening of its first two Chicago locations: Lake Street Athletic, at 1035 W. Lake Street in Chicago’s West Loop, and Old Town Athletic, at 1350 N. Wells Street. Both clubs are set to open in August 2026, marking the brand’s first expansion outside of New York City, with additional new clubs and markets to follow.
Since its founding in 2020, Club Athletic has grown to seven locations across New York City, building a highly motivated community of more than 2,000 members through a distinctive model: squad-based training. Members join fixed 20-person training squads who train together twice a week at a set time, with the same coach and teammates every session. The “squad” model borrows from the accountability structures of team sports and applies them to structured strength and conditioning, creating a fitness experience centered on belonging and community as much as performance.
“We are unapologetic about our growth because we believe that everyone deserves a squad. Chicago was never a question of if – it was always when,” said Dane McCarthy, Founder of Club Athletic. “This city runs on the same things we do: neighborhood pride, showing up for each other, and the core belief that you go further together than you ever would alone. Lake Street and Old Town are just the beginning of what we believe can be a national community built on the same principles of consistency, accountability, and ultimately, shared joy.”
The two Chicago locations were chosen deliberately for their neighborhood character and vibrant wellness communities. Lake Street Athletic will anchor the West Loop, one of Chicago’s fastest growing cultural hubs. Old Town Athletic will take root in Old Town, a neighborhood defined by its unique blend of long-standing community identity and active, fitness-oriented residents. Both clubs will follow Club Athletic’s neighborhood-based naming conventions, reflecting a unified identity the brand maintains as it enters its national expansion phase.
Club Athletic has already begun building its Chicago community from the ground up, hosting a series of pre-launch activations including pop-up workouts, run clubs, and social gatherings. Each activation is designed to do what the squad model does best: turn strangers into teammates before the first official session even begins.
The full summer 2026 schedule includes:
- Mondays at 6:00am – Old Town Athletic Outdoor Workout
- Location: 1308 N Wells St.
- Tuesdays at 6:30pm – Chicago Track Nights
- Location: 808 N Lake Shore Dr.
- Thursdays at 6:30am – OTA & LSA Run Club (biweekly)
- Location: 1350 N Wells St.
- Fridays at 6:00am – Lake Street Athletic Outdoor Workout
- Location: 901 W Monroe St.
- Saturdays at 8:30am – Bridge 2 Beach
- Location: Franklin-North Orleans Street Bridge
Click here to learn more about Club Athletic’s summer calendar.
The Chicago openings are more than an expansion — they are the clearest expression yet of what Club Athletic stands for. Coinciding with its rebrand from The Athletic Clubs, the debut cements the brand at the intersection of fitness, culture and community, building not just studios, but spaces where collective energy drives individual progress.
Club Athletic is a private, membership-based fitness and social community with seven locations across New York City. Club Athletic combines structured strength training with neighborhood identity and a year-round social calendar that turns routine into community.
Learn more at www.clubathletic.co or follow @clubathletic.chi on Instagram.
clubathletic@aiir.agency
AIIR
