26 February 7 • 2019
jn
A
month ago, Equinox Fitness Clubs opened its
first Michigan location in Bloomfield Hills.
Equinox Executive Chairman Harvey
Spevak said, “Equinox was founded on the premise
that fitness can power, and empower, a community of
high-performance individuals, and Bloomfield Hills
certainly embodies that ethos.
”
Spevak is an alum of the University of Michigan
and member of the Ross School Advisory Board at
the University of Michigan’
s Stephen M. Ross School
of Business, where he has been philanthropically
involved. Native Detroiter Stephen Ross is chairman
of the board of Equinox and a majority owner of
the business. Ross, chairman and founder of Related
Companies, and owner of the Miami Dolphins, is also
an active philanthropist who has pledged $328 million
to U-M.
In addition to the Equinox brand, the company
also owns PURE Yoga, Blink Fitness, The Yorkville
Club and SoulCycle, which amounts to more than 135
locations in major cities across the United States in
addition to London, Toronto and Vancouver. A year
ago, the company took a minority interest in Rumble
Boxing.
Equinox began in 1991 with its first location in
Manhattan’
s Upper West Side. The new location in
Bloomfield Hills — at 47,000 square feet — features
dedicated space for cardio, cycling, yoga and Pilates.
There are now more than 100 Equinox gyms around
the world and almost 20,000 employees across all
brands.
To learn more about the company’
s vision for its
Detroit location, we spoke with Chief Operating
Officer Judy Turchin, who lives in New York City.
Q: What is the significance of Equinox entering
the greater Detroit area?
JT: It’
s a testament to the demand for the Equinox
offering. We’
re seeing wallet share amongst all demo-
graphic groups shift from goods to experiences,
which, for our business, has always been the core
offering and continues to figure positively.
Q: What attracts you to the location you chose in
Bloomfield Hills?
JT: We’
ve been looking at the Detroit metro area for
quite a while, as there are no holistic healthy lifestyle
options available to the high-performing clientele
here.
Coming in, we immediately recognized that our
brand awareness is strong for a market where we have
previously no presence due to a strong connection
among both the New York, Chicago and Southern
California markets.
As many urban dwellers transition back to their
home state of Michigan to start families after stints in
primary urban markets, they are thrilled to have the
Equinox brand, which they have come to know and
trust available to them where they put down roots so
they can continue their high-performance journey.
Q: What are your broader plans for Equinox in
Michigan?
JT: The growth of the Detroit area has been inspir-
ing to watch, and demand for our offering in the mar-
ket continues. We don’
t currently have any plans for
expansion in Michigan, but we’
re always looking for
the right opportunity.
Q: How do you differentiate yourself from the
competing clubs near your Bloomfield Hills loca-
tion?
JT: The concept of “fitness as lifestyle”
may be
trending today, but it’
s a mindset that Equinox has
architected — and led — since its inception in 1991.
A membership at Equinox is more than just access
to a fitness club, as our members become part of an
experience, a lifestyle and a community — both local-
ly and on a global scale. Our mission is to empower
life maximization, and we know that for our high-per-
formance clientele, this is so much more than the
miles they log on the treadmill.
Grounded in the core tenets of movement, nutri-
tion and regeneration and backed by a health advisory
board of industry-leading experts across these disci-
plines, Equinox offers a holistic approach to fitness
rather than just a place to work out. Delivered in a
design-driven environment conceived by the world’
s
leading architects and designers, the result is a suite
of services and amenities, all under one roof, well
beyond the typical fitness experience.
Members can spend their entire day with us as they
engage in personal training akin to holistic lifestyle
coaching, community-based special events, a spa
geared toward recovery, an app centered on goals and
personalization, spaces for co-working and fostering
community, curated athleisure apparel at our shops
and cafes where members can refuel. With luxury
travel experiences and Equinox Hotels opening this
spring, we’
re now meeting our members outside the
four walls of our clubs in a meaningful way.
Q: Was former Detroiter Stephen Ross involved
in your expansion into the market?
JT: As majority owner of Equinox, Stephen was
involved in evaluating the location/deal and was a
strong proponent due to his knowledge of the local
market.
Q: How do you feel the larger macro market
trends will most influence the Equinox model over
the next few years?
JT: At a time where “lifestyle brand” has become an
industry buzzword, our businesses have stayed con-
sistently dedicated to principles that others now strive
to embody across their brands. From a macro trend
perspective, health is the new wealth and the concept
of “luxury” has evolved monumentally to include self-
care.
Experience, personalization, community, authen-
ticity, style — once qualities that were considered
outliers in business — are core to our mission, which
is to help members maximize the potential in their
own lives.
Q: Are there any particular aspects of your Jewish
upbringing that have inspired your success as an
entrepreneur or your impact as a philanthropist?
JT: As a first-generation American and child of
Holocaust survivors, I learned very early on the value
of hard work and being self-sufficient. Those teach-
ings from my parents, coupled with their emphasis
on the importance of education, have been the critical
building blocks to my career and success. ■
jews d
in
the
business
ADAM FINKEL CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Equinox in
Michigan
Talking business and Detroit
with Judy Turchin, COO
of Equinox Fitness Clubs.
Judy Turchin
As a fi
rst-generation
American and child of
Holocaust survivors
I learned very
early on the value of
hard work and being
self-suffi
cient.
— JUDY TURCHIN