This gym owner’s second location grew 5x faster than the first

What’s up Gym World?

Anthony Zangara spent 10 years running juice bars before opening Grind Gyms. He signed an expensive lease right before COVID with no real plan, which led to a rough start:

• The gym was hard to find

• The brand was unclear

• It barely made money

But he stuck with it, fixed what wasn’t working, and eventually opened a second location. That one:

• has way more members

• makes a lot more money

• is growing 5x faster than the first

Success like that from a second location is rare in this industry, so we brought Anthony on the pod to hear how he did it.

Here’s what he told us.

From juice bars to gyms

Anthony and his friend launched a juice bar business during their senior year of college, selling mostly to students on campus. It taught them how to hustle, serve customers, and handle the ups and downs of running a business.

They ran it for 10 years and grew to five locations. But once they got there, they realized:

• they had expanded too quickly

• they were barely breaking even

• they decided to shut down three of the five locations

Anthony had always wanted to open a gym. So once the juice business turned a profit, he spent a year or two browsing online for potential spaces.

In 2019, his business partner found an ad for an abandoned big-box gym. The previous tenants had stopped paying rent, and the landlord was looking for someone who could bring the space back to life and serve the community.

There was an open house the next day, so Anthony and his partner went to check it out — and they immediately felt like it was the perfect fit.

• 14,000 sq ft of space

• an open gym layout with a basketball court

• plenty of natural light throughout the facility

They pitched themselves on the spot and convinced the landlord to choose them by saying:

• other tenants in the building would get discounts at their juice bar

• they already had top trainers ready to go (they didn’t)

• and they’d be reliable business owners who knew how to run a solid operation

Grind Gym Baltimore opened later that year and kept most of the equipment the previous tenants had left behind.

A rough start

The gym came together quickly and without a clear plan, which led to a bunch of unexpected problems.

For starters, the gym was in a tourist-heavy area. You needed a keycard to get into the building, so the only way to check it out was by booking an appointment.

And while a touristy location sounds like it would bring in foot traffic, it doesn’t matter if people can’t find the gym or even get inside.

Grind Gyms was also on the top floor of an older building with quiet engineering offices below. Noise complaints started coming in, so Anthony had to fix the issue or risk getting kicked out.

He installed custom platforms to reduce sound and vibration and arranged equipment to keep heavy items away from the offices below.

On top of all that, Anthony struggled with brand identity. He wanted the gym to be for everyone, but that it harder to attract high-quality leads.

At the same time, he was running video ads each month targeting the local area with an offer of $1 for the first month, no contract, and cancel anytime. It got people in the door, but it also led to:

• low-quality leads who weren’t serious about training

• the gym losing money up front

• people canceling and then coming back to use the offer again

Then COVID hit, and the gym barely survived. But the shutdown gave Anthony space to rethink the business.

He shut down the juice bars for good and went all in on building a space people actually wanted to be part of — a gym with a hospitality-first mindset, a welcoming vibe, and an amazing reputation.

• The gym became community-driven, with regular social events and photographers or videographers who turned those moments into shareable content

• The walls were covered with murals featuring actual members

• The space overlooked the water, adding to the calm, open feel

• Staff welcomed members like valued guests from the moment they walked in

• And most new members came through word of mouth

The Baltimore gym looks great, but it’s never been a strong moneymaker.

Most gym owners would wait until they had solid profits and systems in place before opening a second location. But after overcoming so many challenges with the first gym, Anthony was confident he could build something stronger the second time around.

So in 2024, he used little profits from the first gym, personal savings, and credit cards to open another Grind Gym in the suburbs. It was a risky move, but the new location already:

• has more members

• generates more revenue

• and is growing 5x faster than the first

Why is it working better?

When expanding your gym, you have to consider:

• Location – Is it the right area for long-term growth?

• Local demographics – Do the people nearby match your target market?

• Rent – Can your gym afford it based on projected revenue?

• Size & layout – Will the space fit your equipment and training style?

• Parking & accessibility – Can members find it easily and park without hassle?

Anthony didn’t think through most of this the first time, so it’s no surprise the Baltimore gym struggled to grow. But he learned from those mistakes and made smarter decisions the second time — especially around location.

For the second gym, he chose a suburban area close to home where there were no gyms like his. That decision gave him:

• a clear edge by offering something new to the local market

• a more stable, long-term client base

• lower overhead with cheaper rent and operating costs

The new space is also on the ground floor, with plenty of parking space and no neighbours below to disturb. It’s easier for members to find and access, and it offers a better experience from the moment they arrive.

Grind Gyms Harco might not be as big or flashy as the Baltimore location, but it still offers perks like:

• a fully customized strength and conditioning circuit

• recovery amenities like a cold plunge, infrared sauna, and steam room

• physical therapy and massage

• an on-site barber

Memberships start at $75 a month and include:

• access to both locations (open 24/7)

• unlimited keycard entry

• no contracts, sign-up fees, or cancellation fees

Each gym has its own vibe, so members can choose the location that suits them best:

• Grind Gym Baltimore offers a more quiet, low-traffic environment

• Grind Gym Harco has a higher energy and more people

And even though both gyms run the same open-access model, Grind Gym Harco has taken off much faster.

TL;DR

After running a juice bar business and growing it to five locations, Anthony switched industries and opened a gym in 2019.

He faced early challenges like:

• launching right before COVID

• opening in a hard-to-find building with no signage

• running the business without a clear model or niche

Eventually, he got the first location somewhat profitable and opened a second gym a few years later — one that’s been successful from day one thanks to a better location.

Today, Grind Gyms is considered one of the coolest gyms in the community.

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Here’s what Anthony’s planning next:

• upgrades at both gyms

• more wellness-focused amenities

• a third location built to be the ultimate HQ

• and maybe six locations total if things go well

We’ll be watching. In the meantime, watch or listen to Anthony’s full interview on Gym World for more.

until next week,

j

📣 P.S. Don’t keep all the good stuff to yourself—send this to a fellow gym owner.