Not be out-muscled by the competition, a Chesterfield gym has recently made some big-money upgrades.
Over the past four months, Midlothian Athletic Club owners Patrick Galleher, Bobby Morris and Patrick O’Toole have pumped nearly half a million dollars into the Southside fitness center.
The renovations include about $155,000 toward improving indoor tennis courts and $250,000 for expanding the childcare center from 200 to 2,000 square feet.
“We’re like a country club without the golf course,” Galleher said of the fitness center, which also offers beer on tap.
The owners financed their efforts with personal savings and got some help from First Capital Bank.
Morris is a partner with Boxwood Partners, a Richmond-based private equity firm, and Galleher is its managing director. The firm’s investments include stakes in Sweet Frog and several online retailers. O’Toole is a distributor for Iowa-based Pella Windows and Doors and owns Pella’s in Virginia and West Virginia.
Galleher said when the new ownership took over in 2009 the club had been losing about 100 members each month. Many families were going to gyms with better childcare facilities, such as the nearby ACAC Fitness & Wellness Center on Robious Road.
Galleher said Midlothian Athletic Club now adds dozens of new members each month and has the attrition number down to an average of about 25 memberships a month.
The club has grown from 1,900 memberships to 2,700 memberships in the past two years Galleher said.
Galleher said the company is working on getting permits to build indoor baseball fields so the club can start a baseball academy.
Rates vary, but monthly non-tennis memberships at Midlothian Athletic Club cost $104 for families and $89 for couples.
Not be out-muscled by the competition, a Chesterfield gym has recently made some big-money upgrades.
Over the past four months, Midlothian Athletic Club owners Patrick Galleher, Bobby Morris and Patrick O’Toole have pumped nearly half a million dollars into the Southside fitness center.
The renovations include about $155,000 toward improving indoor tennis courts and $250,000 for expanding the childcare center from 200 to 2,000 square feet.
“We’re like a country club without the golf course,” Galleher said of the fitness center, which also offers beer on tap.
The owners financed their efforts with personal savings and got some help from First Capital Bank.
Morris is a partner with Boxwood Partners, a Richmond-based private equity firm, and Galleher is its managing director. The firm’s investments include stakes in Sweet Frog and several online retailers. O’Toole is a distributor for Iowa-based Pella Windows and Doors and owns Pella’s in Virginia and West Virginia.
Galleher said when the new ownership took over in 2009 the club had been losing about 100 members each month. Many families were going to gyms with better childcare facilities, such as the nearby ACAC Fitness & Wellness Center on Robious Road.
Galleher said Midlothian Athletic Club now adds dozens of new members each month and has the attrition number down to an average of about 25 memberships a month.
The club has grown from 1,900 memberships to 2,700 memberships in the past two years Galleher said.
Galleher said the company is working on getting permits to build indoor baseball fields so the club can start a baseball academy.
Rates vary, but monthly non-tennis memberships at Midlothian Athletic Club cost $104 for families and $89 for couples.