The signs and the promotions make it obvious from the outside, but it really hits when walking in — you’re not in Nordstrom anymore.
Gold’s Gym is putting the final touches on its takeover of the former Vancouver Mall retailer before it opens March 24, and the cardio cinema, the sound-absorbing floors and the group training rooms are definitely new additions.
“I’m really happy how it turned out,” said franchise owner Mike Williams during a tour of the gym Thursday.
On the floor below the gym, clothing retailer H&M also has removed all remnants of Nordstrom as it gets its space ready for an opening this fall.
The two new businesses are bringing some health and vitality to the Vancouver Mall a little over a year after the former anchor retailer closed its doors, pushing the mall back to 95 percent occupied.
And while some may scoff at the idea of a gym at a mall, they might have said the same about food courts or movie theaters.
“How do I get people to come to here … as part of their routine? How do you stay relevant with a limited selection?” Vancouver Mall general manager JB Schutte said. “Adding theaters, restaurants, groceries and now, gyms. This is part of adding to the selection.”
The selection of equipment and workouts is seemingly endless at Gold’s Gym, where light shades of green, yellow and blue soften what can be an intimidating environment.
Williams, who owns three other Gold’s locations in the Puget Sound area, said the club once known for attracting muscle builders like Arnold Schwarzenegger has broadened its appeal over 50 years and more than 700 locations.
“We’ve taken all the different (specialty) studios and dropped them into a mainstream club,” Williams said among the weights, AstroTurfed training areas and cardio machines covering 32,000 square feet.
While he acknowledges a good deal of competition from gyms such as LA Fitness and Anytime Fitness, the location can’t be beat.
“There’s so much traffic — you’re going to get a lot of attention,” Williams said. “And the parking is amazing.”
New and potential members were upset as the opening of the gym has been pushed back — it was supposed to open March 15 — and many took to the local gym’s Facebook page to say as much.
But Thursday at noon, that will all be past when the doors open in the middle of the mall.
“Now is the time to sign up for the best deal,” Williams said.
As for H&M, the trendy but not-too-spendy retailer is planning an October opening, though mall management would love to see that pushed to September to catch the back-to-school crowds.
On Thursday, the 20,000-square-foot space was a blank concrete canvas with flat floors and high ceilings. Like its neighbor above, it looks nothing like its former self.
“That’s the nice thing about a mall building,” Schutte said. “You can keep reinventing it over and over and over.”
