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Women Love Curves

The financial state of fitness centers has risen and fallen over the past number of years.  The founders of Curves, Diane and Gary Heavin, initially took advantage of that boom-and-bust cycle by assuming control of a failed Houston health club in the 1980s.  Over the next five years they expanded to six additional locations, bumping the total to 17 centers before finally biting the proverbial dust themselves.  Not willing to abandon all hope, the couple reinvented themselves as a female-only facility and opened the first Curves for Women in Harlingen, Texas, in 1992.  Three years later, they felt confident enough in the process to begin franchising as well.  Their first franchisee came online in nearby Paris, Texas.

Curves Franchise Review

In 2008, there were slightly more than 6,300 Curves franchise locations across the country, plus another 3,000 in nearly 60 foreign countries, including Canada.  The corporate office employs 50 people, of which 40 are devoted exclusively to supporting the firm’s franchising operation.  The specially designed 30-minute workout, which takes place on weight-resistance equipment organized to work specific muscle groups in a particular order, burns about 500 calories per session.  Current U.S. membership is around four million women.  It generally takes only two people to effectively run a Curves location; often this is the owner/operator plus one employee, quite often a student or recent graduate hired on a part-time basis.  Training is ongoing, and the company sponsors an annual three-day convention where franchisees can mix and mingle to trade “war” stories and be brought up to date on new health club developments.

Curves Franchise Information & Costs

The cost of becoming a Curves franchisee is quite reasonable, especially when compared to the amount of money it takes to open a well-known fast-food restaurant or auto repair shop.  While the $40,000 franchise fee is in line with these other opportunities, build-out costs are far less.  It is estimated that one’s remaining total investment is only about another $40K, most of which goes toward exercise equipment.  The most popular site for a Curves franchise is in a suburban strip mall, where parking is plentiful (and free) and the two primary membership groups – working women and stay-at-home moms – are near at hand.  Rents in these kinds of places are generally quite reasonable, especially since a Curves franchise can operate in a space as small as 1,000 square feet.  Staffing requirements are minimal, which keeps payroll costs down as well.  Although the corporation allows franchisees to be absentee owners, more than 70 percent choose to run the business themselves.  The parent company levies a five percent annual royalty fee on gross membership sales.  There are also financing opportunities for prospective franchisees on a case-by-case basis.  In addition to opening new locations, Curves provides a network of existing operations for sale.  In many cases, franchisees have opened multiple locations and are looking to cash out as a partial exit strategy.  Fully half of the company’s franchisees have more than one store.  The prospect of buying a Curves franchise that already has all its equipment in place, plus a cadre of loyal followers, is a very attractive situation.

Routine Workouts – Superior Enjoyment

For consumers, the primary appeal of a Curves membership is two-fold.  First, women appreciate the fact they can work out in an environment that caters to their sensitivity about weight and physical appearance.  Females often feel intimidated in a co-ed environment.  Second, the company’s founders designed the specialized Curves workout regimen to fit properly into a woman’s busy schedule.  Members generally participate in three 30-minute sessions a week, utilizing the exclusive circuit-training program.  This is reportedly all it takes to slim down and stay fit.  The company also offers something called the “online companion,” which provides personalized meal planning and motivational inspiration via the Internet.

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