After a long, grueling workout, members want to be pampered. They are tired, sweaty and probably want nothing more than to take a nice, hot shower and relax. In order for these leisurely activities to occur, the proper environment must be provided. Nothing will deter your members more than entering the locker room, only to find out the towels are itchy, the shampoo lacks a pleasant aroma and no other amenities are provided to enjoy a post-workout cleansing.
Upon stepping into the locker rooms at the Crunch W. 19th Street, New York City, location, a spa-like experience is awaiting. “Locker room design is simple with a fresh, clean look and feel,” said Lynn Cunningham, the vice president of operations at Crunch. “Our goal is to provide our members with a locker room experience that is comfortable, clean and convenient.”
According to Cunningham, the locker rooms are stocked with top-quality amenities so members don’t need to bring their own from home. These amenities include glass shower doors, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body cream, mouthwash, Q-tips and cotton balls. “Vanity space is available for salon-quality hair dryers, and oversized lockers to accommodate gym bags and coats,” continued Cunningham. “We also provide bath towels and workout towels.”
In addition to your typical locker rooms amenities, Crunch also affords a more unique selection of features. “To set us apart, we have Teak inserts in the shower stall, oversized lockers, upgraded amenity dispensers and SWASH clothing care systems available at no charge in each locker room for member use,” said Charlie Ritchie, the general manager at the W. 19th Street location.
With pristine tiled walls, polished concrete floors and modern fixtures, Hive Lifespan Center in East Amherst, New York, provides members with a serene, contemporary locker room experience. Keyless day lockers, various shower amenities, towels chilled with lavender and other personal care items present a luxurious post-workout experience.
Chris Salisbury, the owner at Hive Lifespan Center, explained determining what products to stock in your locker rooms is dependent on the model of your club. “As an up-market boutique club with professionals as members, we are afforded the opportunity to offer more amenities without them being abused,” said Salisbury. “Towels are returned to drop boxes, personal items are only used as needed, coats and suits can be hung without risk of theft.”
Locker rooms are all about the details. Members will appreciate even the smallest features. “At Hive we opted for medical wing-style faucet handles so members still have a sanitary hand washing experience, but can also control the water flow when shaving,” added Salisbury. “Be careful not to take simple things like a hand washing experience for granted. We found that touchless foaming hand soap dispensers combined with a choice of touchless towel dispensers or high-speed hand dryers complete the experience.”
Salisbury added keeping clean and well maintained locker rooms is essential to member satisfaction. “Clean locker rooms are very important to members, and by clean we mean exceptionally clean,” he said. “At Hive our mission is not to simply be the cleanest health club in western New York, but rather the cleanest business. Our members would agree we have succeeded.”
Members truly do take notice of the locker rooms, so it is essential to ensure you are providing the best experience possible. “Members comment frequently that our locker rooms and showers are always very clean, kept tidy and well stocked with multiple types of amenities,” said Ritchie. “They love that fact that we offer BLISS Spa products, towels and upgraded hair dryers.”
However, Cunningham stressed that cleanliness should be the number-one priority when it comes to locker rooms. While extravagant amenities are an added bonus, they will not mask a dirty shower. “Cleanliness would be the number-one priority I would recommend for other club owners,” she added. “Depending on your dues price point, added amenities are a great bonus, but it all starts with cleanliness.”
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Emily Harbourne is the former assistant editor of Club Solutions Magazine.
