City councilman opens new Scott’s Addition gym – Richmond BizSense

Richmond City Councilman Andreas Addison has taken an entrepreneurial leap and entered the region’s competitive fitness scene.

Addison recently opened Pure Fitness RVA, a new gym at 2921 W. Moore St. in Scott’s Addition.

He said the gym’s location and features were selected to cater to professionals who want to fit some exercise into their workday.

“To me, this gym is for working professionals who want to make sure exercise remains part of their lifestyle, but not something they have to schedule,” Addison said.

“We designed this gym to have regular class times, I have showers for you to come back to work, go to work or go home or start the night. We’re in the Scott’s Addition, so it’s a place where you can live, work and play. We wanted this gym to be a place where you could enjoy your happy hour and not have to worry about giving something up.”

In addition to targeting professionals, Addison wants the gym to reach out to companies that employ those professionals by introducing sporting events for companies looking for team-building activities.

“We seek to hold corporate and business events, such as training on Fridays. (We’re) making this a space where you can bring employees for a half-day physical activity,” she said, adding that personal training is also part of the plan.

Addison said the gym has seen a steady increase in interest as the summer draws to a close. Pure Fitness, which occupies a 5,000-square-foot space, had its soft opening in mid-June and plans to have a grand opening in mid-September.

“Summer is a tough time to open a gym with travel and summer vacations. No one is around constantly, so committing to gym memberships was expected to be a bit slow. But with the downfall and people getting back into the grind, I’ve seen a lot of people interested,” he said.

Pure Fitness currently has 42 paid members and Addison aims to have a membership of 85 to 90.

The gym offers two monthly membership packages: the $99 Essential Professional membership for first responders, teachers, nurses, active military and veterans, as well as a $165 package ($290 for couples), according to the Pure Fitness website.

The gym also has an option of $28 per day, or $55 for a week of gym access.

Pure Fitness presents its training offerings as high-intensity interval training that introduces unconventional moves and lifts to create routines that are meant to be challenging and engaging.

“I’ve had to explain that I’m not much of a CrossFit gym. But for the most part I think it’s been well received because people see it more as strength-focused functional training,” he said.

Addison said he spent about $375,000 on the gym’s construction and equipment. The gym had been months in the making, like Addison ran into permission issues which delayed the opening of the business.

Running the gym is now his primary occupation, in addition to his duties on the Richmond City Council. It represents the First Ward, which encompasses the West End of the city and does not include the area in which your gym is located.

He said that Pure Fitness takes inspiration from Onnit Gym in Austin, Texas, which he found online on social media and then visited.

“I followed (the gym owner) a little bit, I saw his gym, I followed some of his trainers and I liked that mentality,” he said.

Pure Fitness is near the boxing gym. vintage boxing. National fitness chain F45 Newly opened locations in Hanover County and in Fan.