Once considered extreme and dangerous, heated exercise is a trend behind the growth of a Toluca Lake fitness studio. Sweat Shoppe’s heated cycling classes allow spin enthusiasts to work out on stationary bikes in an 80- to 84-degree room, leading to increased sweat and calorie burning. Sweat Shoppe is not new to the spin scene, but its success in signing up 7,000 members has inspired the company to try and crack new, even saturated, markets. It is working to open two more locations over the hill in Los Angeles by the end of this year. “Just like heated yoga, when (we opened our doors in 2011) everyone thought it was a crazy idea,” said Mimi Benz, co-founder of Sweat Shoppe. “What people are finding is they become addicted to that cleansing, detoxifying feeling of being drenched in sweat.” Though reluctant to share information about the new locations, Benz said the two studios will be less than 3,000 square feet, and one is slated to open by summer. After launching the 1,600-square-foot studio in North Hollywood, Benz and her husband, Jason Squire, moved the studio to Toluca Lake in August to accommodate growth in the business. The co-owners said the business has seen a 20 percent year-over-year increase in revenue since its launch. Membership prices vary depending on the package, but are typically $20 a class or $90 to $170 for a five- to 10-day pass. Athletic massages range from $70 to $90. “Our first space was small, basically a lobby,” Benz said. “The industry has changed so much and expectations have gone up regarding amenities. People want showers, they want lockers, so we had to listen to what our riders wanted and adjust.” The two-story, 4,000-square-foot location includes locker rooms and showers, two isolated massage rooms and a large cycling room that accommodates 46 bikes. Spinning is considered a high-intensity workout in the fitness industry. When combined with a heated room, some experts worry the cardiovascular experience could be too intense for certain people. “Oftentimes hot classes, whether it is yoga or cycling, are kind of a collective group effort to go a little faster, perform a little further, dig a little deeper,” said Veronica Zador, fitness expert and yoga instructor at Beaumont Hospital in Troy, Mich. “For an individual who needs modifications (while exercising), this could increase the level of injury and potentially decrease the level of enjoyment.” Though Sweat Shoppe is well known in fitness circles, the spin niche has plenty of competitors. Other L.A. cycling studios include SoulCycle, a New York-based chain; Kinetic Indoor Cycling in Los Angeles; and Dragonfly Cycling in Sherman Oaks. Janice Malinga said that she visited at least 20 spin studios before settling on Sweat Shoppe in September. She’d heard that the heated studio was among the best in the San Fernando Valley and was anxious to give it a try. “It was definitely harder than any of the previous spin classes I have taken and I had to manage my breathing differently,” she recalled of her first class. “But I went and signed up right away.” Zador, the fitness expert, said though heated exercise courses are typically safe, they could be dangerous if instructors aren’t educated and wary of warning signs. “I have seen people get dehydrated, nauseated, even pass out,” she said. “Warning signs include dizziness, nausea, disorientation and shortness of breath. The burden of responsibility is on the instructor and requires advance training not only to pick up on the warning signs but also to know what to do about them.” Benz said all instructors are certified through Venice’s Mad Dogg Athletics Inc. or Schwinn Bicycle Co. in Vancouver, Wash., and informed of what to do in the event of an emergency. “There is a lot of communication that goes on between us and our riders about how to hydrate properly,” she said. “In the event that we do get clients who overheat, everybody here is fully trained on how to help them out.” The husband and wife duo co-founded Sweat Shoppe in 2011 after the birth of their first son. The two invested $100,000 with help from family to get the business off the ground. “(Toluca Lake) is our flagship,” Benz said. “This is a unique building in the sense that it is two stories.” Hot clothing With the studio’s geographic expansion in the works, the co-owners have decided to move into retail, starting with the ground floor of the Toluca Lake building. The new Sweat Shoppe apparel line launched in December and features sweatshirts, tank tops and sweatpants – all of which are available for sale at the studio. Interestingly, the line does not include workout gear. “Funny enough, when we opened up I didn’t intend on having clothing,” Benz said. “I did a really small run of T-shirts and tank tops and they flew off the shelves. From then on the demand was huge.” On the lower floor of the studio, Sweat Shoppe apparel hangs from fixtures and on shelves built into the walls. Prices range from $35 to $125. The shop subleased space to Juicebox Truck, an L.A. company that makes drinks from organic produce, whose products are sold on the first floor. “We were invited to join the Sweat Shoppe team in September and thought it was a great fit with thirsty, health-conscious riders coming off the bikes,” said Robbie Pyle, co-founder of Juicebox Truck, in an email to the Business Journal.
Studio Drips With Success
