The ‘new’ Gold’s Gym aims to be a ‘country club’ for the health conscious
Melinda Sherwood, Business Editor
For nearly 40 years, Gold’s Gym has been the gold standard for people serious about fitness, the heart and soul of the bodybuilding movement. Muhammad Ali, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Hulk Hogan all trained here at one time or another, solidifying Gold’s reputation as the "mecca of bodybuilding."
That image has served it well over the years, at least with its core clientele: weightlifters.
But few people know that today’s Gold’s Gym, under South Brunswick franchise owners Randy and Bonnie Vey, is about more than just pumping iron.
Last year, the Veys, who owned the Gold’s Gym in Princeton Corporate Plaza for over a decade, moved the gym to 4250 Route 1 North, a space double in size, transforming it into a full-service health club in the process.
The results prompted Gold’s Gym International, which oversees several hundred Gold’s gyms in the world, to name the Princeton gym "Gold’s Gym of the Year 2004," an award based on best design, outstanding customer service and world-class programming.
The Veys, residents of Hopewell Township, attribute the recognition by corporate to their ability to bring a new dynamic to the classic gym.
"It’s not just about weights and equipment, because everyone has that," explained Ms. Vey. "One of the things we tried to do here is build not only a fitness center, but something we call a ‘third place’ — someplace in addition to your home and work where you can feel comfortable, spend time, cultivate relationships.
"When they walk through the door," she continued, "I want them to feel like they’re walking into a country club."
With an outdoor putting green, juice bar, chair and table massages on the floor, and a state-of-the-art aromatherapy/tanning bed, the "new" Gold’s Gym goes a long way toward achieving that country club feel. The outdoor seating area, and the spacious and comfortable locker rooms, make Gold’s an attractive place for leisure as well as exercise.
The gym’s interior design, which includes bamboo flooring, a stained glass wall in the foyer and a color scheme that provides a different ambiance for each workout "mood," also sets it apart from other fitness centers, where mirrored walls, industrial colors and harsh florescent lighting are often the standard. Fabiano Designs of Bloomfield, which specializes in athletic clubs, was the lead architect on the project.
Does all of this equal a better workout? Not at all, says, Ms. Vey. "But when you’re coming to a place that’s aesthetically pleasing, you’re motivated to come," she explained.
In building their dream gym, the Veys also acknowledged that their membership demographics are shifting — while weightlifters, mostly men, have long been their core clientele, women are also flocking in.
"The fitness industry is evolving … it’s more women depending on the time of the day," said Ms. Vey.
Thus a lot of attention was given to special gym amenities that cater to women.
The Kidz Club, an indoor and outdoor playground for children supervised by a staff member, is one example of services that are a hit with parents, women in particular.
"If your kids are happy, you know that you’re going to be more productive and get a better workout," said Ms. Vey.
The new Gold’s Gym also has a separate ladies’ workout room outside the women’s locker room for those seeking a more personal, private work-out environment.
"We put on Oprah, do our cardio — it’s a more intimate area," explained Ms. Vey.
Gold’s still offers row upon row of treadmills and other cardiovascular equipment, as well as free weights, a cycling room and a staff of personal trainers and nutritionists, but as part of its more holistic approach to fitness, classes in Pilates, yoga, and BodyTraining Systems — a standardized workout set to music — have also been added.
Despite a large amount of competition from other fitness centers, Gold’s Gym has added roughly 1,500 new members since the new gym opened in June 2003, says Ms. Vey. Many of them are employees at nearby companies who like the fact that when they travel they can use their membership at any one of the Gold’s gyms around the world.

