Empire Fitness opening facility on Balch Road, doubling size
Sarah Longshore, owner of Empire Fitness, stands before what will be the gym’s new facility in mid-July. (Record Photo/Nick Sellers)
By Nick Sellers | Staff Writer
In what owner Sarah Longshore hopes will be the first of many franchises, Empire Fitness has outgrown its old location on Highway 72 and is set to occupy an expanded location on Huntsville-annexed Balch Road in the coming months.
By mid-July, Longshore anticipates, her business will be up and running in the 23,000-square foot facility near Madison Hospital. The existing structure is less than half that space, at 11,000 square feet.
Longshore started Empire Fitness in April 2010 after locating to the area to be closer to her parents. Two years ago, Longshore added Crossfit to the facility’s regimen, highlighting the gyms growth.
“It’s taken off really well,” Longshore said.
In addition to Crossfit, Empire Fitness offers the BodyPump fitness program. Cycling, Zumba and yoga are more of the opportunities Empire Fitness offers in group classes, among others.
“Everybody’s here for each other, and everybody’s cheering each other,” Longshore said.
Another area of the gym’s business lies in its personal training, with more than 300 personal-training clients receiving attention from 15 personal trainers.
The gym also proves to be kid-friendly. Child services are offered during office hours with CPR-certified gym employees, and the gym offers a “Kids Boot Camp” every summer to help get kids healthy and in-shape.
For gym clients, Longshore said, patrons range in ages from 12-90. Clients as old as 65 have also participated in Crossfit, she mentioned.
Empire Fitness is also home to Third Day Misfits. The group meets every Saturday morning at the gym and engages in spiritual fitness, which involves a workout and Bible study. Once a month, the group does physical activities such as softball.
“It’s kind of like an adult FCA,” Longshore said.
With the upcoming new location off of Balch Road, Longshore said she sees the business in a perfect location – near residences, especially the growing subdivisions on the western side of Madison, and near existing businesses attached to Madison Hospital.
The facility began in December and was slated to open sometime in April, but the weather pushed the opening date back. Summit Structures, which has built gyms in Huntsville, is constructing Empire Fitness.
