Toms river-based fitness chain acquires 13 planet fitness locations

TOMS RIVER, N.J. – Grand Fitness Partners, one of the largest franchisees within the Planet Fitness system, today announced that it has acquired a portfolio of 13 Planet Fitness locations across Virginia from the Asbell Group. The acquisition follows an investment in Grand Fitness by HGGC, a leading middle market private equity firm, in November 2021. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The 13 Planet Fitness locations in Virginia are concentrated across the rapidly growing regions of Richmond-Petersburg, Roanoke, Charlottesville, and Washington D.C. metropolitan area, and offer strong differentiation from local competitors as well as runway for additional geographic expansion. The Virginia locations also add a new state to Grand Fitness’ existing footprint of 44 clubs in Florida, California, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, and will benefit from the Company’s operating infrastructure, culture and marketing resources. Having achieved membership levels in excess of those recorded pre-COVID, the Grand Fitness team is increasingly encouraged by the enthusiasm of Americans to return to the gym and increasing focus on leading healthy lifestyles.

“We are thrilled to kick off 2022 by adding these Virginia clubs to our growing portfolio,” said Dave Bidwell, Grand Fitness’ CEO. “These clubs have strong fundamentals in regions seeing an increase in the number of people excited to launch or re-launch their fitness journeys. Pursing these growth opportunities is exactly why we partnered with HGGC and we are excited to build this area out further with additional locations.”

“By offering the inclusive culture of the Planet Fitness brand, its high-quality fitness experience and affordable memberships , we are confident that Virginia can be a strong region for growth,” added Scott Linsky, Grand Fitness’ COO.

“Dave and Scott have shown an incredible enthusiasm and drive to kick off our partnership by pursuing compelling growth opportunities that strengthen the Grand Fitness portfolio and also lay the foundation for further geographic expansion,” said Steven Leistner, Partner at HGGC. “We are incredibly excited to help the team build a long-term health leader in the Planet Fitness system.”

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.