The outline where signage used to read “Bed Bath & Beyond” is still visible on the facade, but the space at 704 Route 59 in Naperville soon will have a new use as a fitness center.
Private equity firm JEM Wellness Brands plans to open a Crunch Fitness franchise at the big-box site in the Fox River Commons shopping center, next to The Picklr indoor pickleball club and near the Mall of India and the now-shuttered Matrix Club.
Monica Conners, president of the Naperville Development Partnership, said her organization is excited for Crunch Fitness to fill the large vacancy with a business to help meet the growing demand for workout destinations. Gyms are “an attractive way for property owners to backfill” former retail spaces, especially big ones, she said.
“Wellness brands continue to be very active in the retail market as self-care remains a priority for many,” Conners said. “People spent years working out alone during the pandemic and now crave more community.”
The new gym is expected to open this fall. Amber Martinez, chief operating officer for Crunch Fitness franchises within JEM brands, says it will offer 32,700 square feet of communal wellness space with everything members could need for exercise and recovery.
Future Crunch members in Naperville will find a welcoming and engaging environment from a chain that Martinez calls “the originators of the ‘no-judgment’ philosophy.” All new members can receive a personal training kickoff session with a body composition scan and take part in classes that cater to all fitness levels.
“We work hard to give our guests and members more than they expect,” Martinez said.
Along with cardio and weight-lifting equipment, the gym will include massage chairs, saunas, a space for high-intensity interval training and what Martinez calls the “hot-stuff studio” for heated workout sessions.
Memberships range in price from $9.99 to $29.99 a month, without a long-term contract.
“I consider it an inclusive pricing model,” Martinez said. “Most anyone who wants to be a part of Crunch now can be.”
Fox River Commons property owner Continental Realty Corp. is excited for Crunch to soon fill a “prominent anchor space” within the strip mall of more than 240,000 square feet, according to a news release. The commercial property has been dormant since Bed Bath & Beyond closed about three years ago.
Kristina O’Keefe of Continental Realty said in a news release that The Picklr, a Habitat for Humanity ReStore and a hands-on gaming facility called Activate Games are newer tenants bringing fresh interest to Fox River Commons. Crunch also will help the shopping area — located across the street from Fox Valley Mall in Aurora and near Block 59 in Naperville — become “an even more vibrant gathering place,” O’Keefe said.
The Naperville gym will be Crunch’s second in the Chicago area and the 15th Crunch franchise operated by JEM Wellness Brands. Martinez said members can expect to find what she’s always encountered since beginning her career with Crunch nearly 30 years ago.
“When I found the gym, it was an inspiring environment,” she said. “It was positive. People were doing good for themselves, and I instantly knew it was something I wanted to be part of.”
Marie Wilson is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
