Lucille Roberts Fitness Express vs Retro Fitness Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Lucille Roberts Fitness Express vs Retro Fitness including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Lucille Roberts Fitness Express Franchise
Retro Fitness Franchise
Investment $271,850 - $402,400$939,250 - $1,600,500
Franchise Fee $25,000$69,000
Royalty Fee 6%5%
Advertising Fee 12%2%
Year Founded 19702002
Year Franchised 20052006
Term Of Agreement 10 years10 years
Term Of Agreement 10 years10 years
Renewal Fee $2.5K-


Business Experience Requirements

 
Lucille Roberts Fitness Express Franchise
Retro Fitness Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills
  • Net worth requirement: $1M+ Cash liquidity requirement: $200K Business Experience: * General business experience

    Financing Options

     
    Lucille Roberts Fitness Express Franchise
    Retro Fitness Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/NoNo/Yes
    Start-up Costs No/NoNo/Yes
    Equipment Yes/NoNo/Yes
    Inventory No/NoNo/Yes
    Receivables No/NoNo/Yes
    Payroll No/NoNo/Yes

    Training & Support

     
    Lucille Roberts Fitness Express Franchise
    Retro Fitness Franchise
    Training - On-The-Job Training: 50 hours Classroom Training: 20 hours
    Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperativesMeetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
    Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicksAd Templates Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app
    Operations

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 3 - 4

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed.

    * 25% of all franchisees own more than one unit * Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 10 - 20 * Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (35% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    Expansion Plans

     
    Lucille Roberts Fitness Express Franchise
    Retro Fitness Franchise
    US Expansion -Yes
    Canada Expansion NoNo
    International Expansion YesYes

    Company Overviews

    About Lucille Roberts Fitness Express

    Inspired by a love of aerobics classes and a dream, Lucille Roberts opened her first gym in 1969. She took what seemed like millions of group aerobics classes before realizing that although the classes were predominantly women, the fitness clubs lacked a specific camaraderie that she craved. A pioneer of female empowerment, Lucille sought to create gyms that fostered a positive environment where women could come together to work out, meet new friends, and get inspired. An inspiration herself, Lucille Roberts was tough both in and out of the gym; rumor has it she would complete sets of curls while on conference calls and challenge coworkers to push up contests on Fridays.

    Recognizing a gap in the industry and a convenient location accessible to shoppers and commuters alike, she opened her first gym near the famed Macy’s flagship at Herald Square. Lucille's goal was to offer affordable gyms tailored specifically for women who needed to use their gym time productively. Shopping could be a workout itself, but she knew that women were capable of so much more than shoulder pads and pants suits. Thus the Lucille Roberts customer was born. No longer did she need to maneuver around men lifting weights or spend hundreds on memberships dedicated to spa-like experiences in order to complete a proper workout. Today, Lucille Roberts prides itself on offering the most current, in-demand classes to cater to its busy and informed clientele. Lucille Roberts is seeking both men and women franchisees to join our growing brand. Candidates should have business sales or management sales experience, but do not need to have a health club, fitness or wellness background. Prospective franchisees can either be active owner-operators or semi-passive investors looking to diversify their portfolio through this unique franchise investment.

    Also, franchisees should share a common goal with Lucille Roberts, which includes building a strong brand and a profitable business in an increasingly competitive marketplace. "Lucille Lucille Roberts began as a family business of women's fitness centers and we like to think of our franchisees and members as part of our extended family. To our members and guests, we are more than just a health club - we're a source of wellness where nutrition, weight loss and exercise become the foundation for a healthier lifestyle. 

    Our success is a result of our low membership fees with no contracts, our smaller facility size  (approximately 4,500 to 6,000 square feet) and our location in centers with national, daily-need and female-oriented retailers in both suburban and metro markets.

    About Retro Fitness

    Eric Casaburi began Retro Fitness with a simple philosophy, "More fitness, Less money, by providing an exciting and inviting environment for exercising, fitting to any fitness enthusiast budget". We are actively looking for qualified entrepreneurs with the motivation and determination to build a successful business.
    A qualified Retro Fitness Franchise candidate appreciates and understands excellent customer service, enjoys interacting with the general public, has a general understanding of management/budgets, has significant financial resources, and is comfortable following established business parameters. Candidates fitting these criteria are invited to take the next step in finding out if a Retro Fitness Franchise is the business opportunity for you by completing our online application. As a Retro Fitness Franchisee you will have the opportunity to reap the rewards that are produced through consistent application of our business practices that benefit our thousands of members everyday. It's an awesome time for Retro Fitness, enjoying the benefits of keeping people healthy and fit while earning a living.
     PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
    A sample of some of the products and services you may offer as a Retro fitness Franchisee include:
     * Full Service Fitness Center including: 50+ pieces of various Cardiovascular equipment. Various CircuitTraining/Strength Training equipment and Free Weights.
     * RetroBlends Juice Bar
     * Personal Training Services
     * Tanning
     * Retro Cardio Movie Theatre
    Veteran Incentives  10% off franchise fee

    "Entrepreneur
    #474 in Franchise 500 for 2020.