Snap Fitness expands in Douglassville

Adding Fitness on Demand to the offerings of Snap Fitness required some additional space. Stockton has increased the square footage of the club by nearly 60 percent, by taking over an empty shop next to his current location at the Redner’s Shopping Center on Old Swede Road in Douglassville. The space was turned in to a classroom space with mirrors and the video equipment needed for the Fitness on Demand classes.

“In addition, we have increased our strength and cardio equipment by 45 percent. And we have hired  three additional trainers,” Stockton said.The club is open 24 hours a day, and members are able to come and go as they please. There isn’t always staff at the club, but members have an access card that they swipe to get in.“We are here when our members want to exercise, even if it’s in the middle of the night,” Stockton added. “We always keep the lights on, because we want to be an inviting place. We never want someone to think the club might be closed.”In addition to the secure access to the club, Snap Fitness is also outfitted with a video security system. That means Stockton can keep an eye on the club from his desk, or from his iPhone if he’s not on-site.Huha has been a member of Snap Fitness since 2009. She said the facility is a safe and welcoming place to work out.

“For my husband and I it has also become a bit of a community. We work out in the morning, and there’s a group of us that go at the same time — it’s very welcoming. And it’s also very safe with the key access,” she said.Stockton said he did not plan on what he calls the “economic tsunami” that hit just months after they opened Snap Fitness in January 2008.“But the only way to survive is to keep going, keep providing excellent customer service and keep investing in the business,” he said. Stockton acknowledged that some members left because of the economic downturn, but Snap Fitness kept up its advertising and commitment to customer service and cleanliness.“I know every member’s name and greet them when they come in,” Stockton added. “We’re a community gym, with 95 percent of our members living within 10 minutes. We’re smaller than many of the other gyms and we’re very personal.”

Stockton’s expansion required rental of the additional 1,500 square feet of space, the purchase of new equipment and hiring three additional people.“I invested in the business and increased the value, but I did not increase membership fees,” he said. In fact, Stockton said membership fees have not gone up in the five years Snap Fitness has been open.“We have also committed to another 5½ years on the lease here,” he said. “That will take me from 70 to 75 years old, but I really enjoy the interaction with people.”Snap Fitness is located at 180 Old Swede Road in Douglassville. For information about the club, call 610-385-5555, email douglassville@snapfitness.com  or visit www.snapfitness.com/douglassville.