If fancy fitness centers and gyms-with-gimmicks are not your thing, then rest assured that a return to the conventional little-bit-of-everything is also on offer as Anytime Fitness has finally opened its doors.
This adds to the slowly growing array of athletic-related outlets already there, including the Fred Fitness, Road Runner Sports, SportsFest and possibly even the promised pickleball courts that are expected to open soon. Situated between Santa Monica Boulevard and Broadway at 435 4th Street, the historic site once housed a West Elm furniture store before it relocated to the renovated building next door in 2018.
The last time the Daily Press visited the 5,000 sq ft space was back in January and the interior resembled a construction site, with incomplete walls, hanging wires and pipes. However, now the inside is completely finished and even has that “new gym” smell. On the cardio side, there are four treadmills, three ellipticals, two stairs and two bikes and on the strength side, three are squat racks, free weights that go up to 200 lbs and approximately 12 muscle-specific multigym-style machines. There are also showers, changing rooms, lockers and six television screens spread throughout the space.
The gym was originally slated to open on Friday, February 21, 2025, but unexpected issues caused the opening to be delayed until the following Monday and owner Fraz Ahmed only just made that date.
“One thing I would say with the city, though, is their lead time on getting inspectors out here was relatively good,” Ahmed says, before adding, “But the other thing that happened, now that I'm thinking it through, was very frustrating.
"We got approval, we got the final sign-off last Thursday, and I'm trying to open up on Monday. The inspector who comes in, he's like, 'Yep, you're past everything.' I'm like, 'OK, great. So can I start having occupants here? Can I start the business?' He says, 'Oh, I can't answer that. You have to check with somebody else.' He says, 'I'm just an inspector. I don't give clearance.'
"So we call the city, but we can't get through, so then I go over there to try to find out what's going on. I speak to a permit specialist at the desk and she says, 'Oh, that's not something I could answer. Is there a head of building safety or a head of that inspection department that can answer?' I'm like, 'OK, let's go ahead and ask him.' But he's away on training.
"So I say, 'OK, then what about whoever backfills for him when he's on training?' Because the city obviously can't shut down because he's on training, or if he decides to suddenly leave, or just doesn't show up. She says that his backfill is on vacation. So neither of them are available because one is away on training, one is out of office,” Ahmed says, adding, “And this is a recurring theme I've noticed with the city."
Anytime Fitness is an international chain of franchised gyms operating in 31 countries, from Australia to Austria and the UK to the UAE. The new Santa Monica location is one of just four on the Westside, alongside outlets in Culver City, El Segundo and Redondo Beach.
The concept began in 2002 with the first Anytime Fitness opening in Cambridge, Minnesota. Since then, the brand has expanded steadily. Four years later, its first international outlet launched in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Another four years after that, the 1,000th location opened in Wake Village, Texas. In 2019, an Anytime Fitness gym was even installed on the cruise ship Magellan Explorer, which spends months moored around the Antarctic coast, technically giving the brand a presence on every continent.
“The model they use is based around communities, so, this isn’t trying to be a flagship store or anything, but the community here in Santa Monica is ideal, I think. Even the membership prices reflect that, so right now we're running a promotion at $50 a month. Tell me another gym here that is at the level of quality that we have at $50 a month…” Ahmed said.
Anytime Fitness is at 1435 4th Street and open 24 hours a day to members. Check the social media pages at Facebook and Instagram for all the latest membership deals.
scott.snowden@smdp.com
