Supermarkets are trying to bust their way into the fitness sphere by
offering classes where you grab your groceries. Convenient, or just
plain crazy?
Stores like Athleta, Lululemon, and Reebok push their merchandise
aside to host fitness classes for their customers. It might not seem
weird to work out where you shop for your fitness gear, but is it weird to work out where you shop for your food?
Grocery stores have often included dry cleaners, banks, childcare
centers, and other amenities to assist shoppers. And now they're jumping
on the fitness craze by offering exercise classes inside their stores.
Why? Traditional grocery stores are being edged out by discount stores
and delivery services, according to the Wall Street Journal.
More and more people are choosing sites like Amazon Fresh and
FreshDirect to get groceries dropped straight at their door, or they're
signing up for snack subscription boxes and ready-to-cook meal services like Blue Apron and Purple Carrot.
The idea? Make supermarkets a place where people want to spend time,
rather than grab 'n' go with their groceries. It's something Jeff
Turnas, president of 365 by Whole Foods, described to WSJ as a "hangout factor." While this means some stores include wine bars and cooking schools, for others it means fitness classes.
The ShopRite of Greater Morristown
in New Jersey boasts a "shopping experience unlike any other," and has
its own Health & Wellness Clubs, complete with both a resident
registered dietitian and cosmetologist, and Zumba, barre, and yoga
classes. Back in 2011, Whole Foods launched Wellness Centers
in five different locations, offering fitness classes and nutrition
counseling, while locations in communities around the country continue
to offer fitness classes through partnerships with local gyms. In 2014,
an Albany-based Hannaford Supermarket added a Healthy Living Center
including a personal trainer, a registered dietitian, and a small gym
equipped with cardio equipment, a Zumba room, and lockers available to
the community for no extra cost.
These amenities might not yet be widespread, but keep an eye out for
more grocery store fitness offerings near you, nestled between the kale
and the baby spinach. The best part? Most of them are super affordable
(if they cost anything at all). Supermarkets might just be the next
budget-friendly way to get your sweat on.