Old Store Gets New Life

Construction has started on the new Dynamic Fitness, a full-service gym that will take over the former Ethan Allen store at .

Owner Bryan McIntosh, who currently operates a smaller version of Dynamic Fitness at 14415 Pearl Rd., said he plans to open the larger gym this fall.

"We've been in Strongsville since 2007, and the community has been very good to us," he said. "I want to give back. I want to make fitness affordable to everyone."

For a limited time, he is signing up charter members, who will have access to the cardio and strength equipment -- and will get tanning, childcare, fitness classes, private showers, private changing rooms and nutrition and wellness advice free of charge.

Charter members will also get the Plus One benefit -- they can bring someone to work out with them free of charge, every time they come in.

"No charge, no gimmicks," McIntosh said. "I've learned people like to work out with a buddy."

The charter memberships are available for $20 a month on the website, dfgym.com, but McIntosh said they won't last long.

The gym will offer cardio sections filled with high-end treadmills, elliptical trainers, bikes and more, and strength sections with free weights and machines, plus lots of space for fitness classes.

McIntosh won city approvals last November to convert the 15,000-square-foot building into a gym. 

The Dynamic Fitness Gym website says the facility will be a "meathead-free zone" with "no grunting, no dropping weights, no flexing while staring at yourself in the mirror."

It will not be a body-building gym, but will instead welcome people of all fitness abilities who can work out in comfort and without feeling self-conscious.

McIntosh acknowledged it might compete with the city-owned , but will actually fill a void in the market.

"This is just an alternative to what the city offers," he said.

Another workout facility, , opened last year on Pearl Road.