A tip last night from WEHOonline reader Ignacio Darnaud confirmed a Business Wire release that’s triggering feelings and nostalgia for a lot of longtime gym goers: EōS Fitness has officially purchased 23 Gold’s Gym locations across Southern California, including the Beverly Center location that just opened back in July.
For decades, Gold’s Gym carried serious weight, not just for bodybuilders, but for us mere mortals who made it part of our daily rhythm. The Beverly Center spot, like its Hollywood counterpart, became a home for WeHo’s fitness crowd and LGBTQ+ regulars who saw Gold’s as more than just a gym.
Now, those Gold’s signs are coming down.
EōS Fitness, based in Dallas, is taking over the franchise group built by Angel and Willy Banos, who ran the Southern California Gold’s network for over 30 years. The company says all staff will stay on, more than 1,000 employees in all, and that members will experience a “seamless transition” while gaining access to more than 200 EōS gyms nationwide.
Gold’s Gym itself has been on shaky ground for a while. Founded in Venice in 1965, it became a global fitness icon before filing for bankruptcy in 2020, eventually being sold to Germany’s RSG Group (owners of John Reed Fitness). Since then, several longtime franchises have been rebranded or sold off, marking the quiet end of an era.
EōS, which bills itself as a “high-value, low-price” fitness chain, says this acquisition expands its California footprint by nearly 20 percent overnight. The company plans to open 250 gyms by 2030, and for now, the newly acquired locations, including Beverly Center, will remain open under the EōS name.
What remains to be seen is whether the culture that made Gold’s so enduring will survive the transition.
So far, EōS leadership insists they’re not here to overhaul the vibe but to build on what’s worked. Whether that rings true once the logos change is something many of us will be watching closely.
I’m all for “high-value, low-price” for many things in life but, a gym may NOT be able to deliver this promise without having a large number of members at all times of day concentrated in a small area. This may NOT be a good idea considering that we are still containing the COVID-19 Pandemic ☣️ that could easily experience a resurgence at any time. Also consider that there are other emerging diseases with Pandemic potential that you should limit your exposure to. Last, keep your Vaccines💉 up to date ❗
The vibe of Venice will never endure.
Promotes gymnasium in city of Los Angeles. Curiously, never mentions locally owned WeHo gym (with multiple WeHo locations)
Every member of the Beverly Center Gold’s Gym is VERY concerned about EOS strategy of “High Value Low Price”, which would overcrowd the gym, violating what we signed up for, a high-class, moderately busy gym EOS, MAKE SURE YOU DON’T VIOLATE OUR CONTRACT WITH GOLD’S!
Sorry to say, but I don’t think your contract says anything about how many people can join or be in the gym at any one time.
we were ensured when we joined that it would be a high-end experience, including limiting the number of members
Perhaps EOS has realized that the country is even more split between the classes and since there are more people without substantial incomes, this was a good move.