Gold's Gym, businesses partner for new program

News

by Caroline Gabsewics

Staff Writer

Your Gold’s Gym key tag is more than just a way to get into the gym. It’s now a way to save money.

Gold’s Gym Jacksonville and about 30 businesses have joined forces to create a discount and savings program for Gold’s Gym Jacksonville members. Gold’s Gym began the program late last month.

“It is way for us to form partnerships with businesses around Jacksonville,” said Jennifer Adams, executive vice president of Gold’s Gym Jacksonville. “The program allows us to cross promote our businesses.”

Gold’s Gym Jacksonville started by approaching different business in Jacksonville — mostly in the Downtown, Southside and the Beaches areas — to see if they wanted to participate in this program. Adams, who is spear-heading the program, said they tried to get to businesses that are near the Gold’s Gym three Jacksonville locations: Downtown, Baymeadows and in early 2008 the Beaches.

“We took businesses a packet explaining the program” she said. “We also gave them window clings and three-day pass cards to have at their business to show they are a Gold’s Card partner.”

Gold’s Gym members can see the list of businesses that are participating on the gym’s Web site. Adams said they update the site regularly. All Gold’s Gym members have to do at any of the participating businesses is show their key tag.

“There are some unique partnerships,” she said.

Participating businesses include everything from hair salons to florists. Some of the more unique partnerships include a doctor, automotive garages and custom built homes.

“We wanted to try and get a good variety and get people to think, ‘wow, this key tag is worth a lot more,’” said Adams. “The quality and the value of our partners is an exciting thing for us.”

Adams said Gold’s is looking to expand beyond the current 30-business partnership, but they don’t want the initiative to outgrow the ability of Gold’s to effectively manage the partnerships from a business perspective.

“We don’t want it to grow so big that we can’t maintain relationships with the business,” she said. “Maybe about 100 to 150 (businesses).”

Adams added that the businesses also benefit from the program.

“We are promoting the businesses in the gym and in our newsletter,” she said.

Business owners may also give the gym things like menus or announcements, things the Gold’s employees will place on the front counters of the three area gyms.

“It gives them more of an invested interest because we are promoting them, too,” she said. “We want businesses to feel the value of being a part of the program.”

Adams was a part of this same program at the Gold’s Gym locations in the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania before she moved to Jacksonville.

“It was very successful, but I think we have taken it to the next level with the organization of it,” she said.

Mandy Rupp, manager of Daniel James Salon, said the salon and Gold’s Gym have worked together on a couple business ventures. Rupp said she’s happy to participate in the gym’s Gold’s Card program.

“We are similar in the fact that we both help make people feel better about themselves,” she said. “The owner of Gold’s Gym came to us and told us about this program and we decided to be a part of it.”

At Daniel James Salon, Gold’s Card members will receive 20 percent off their first visit and a free trial size box of shampoo, conditioner and a styling product.

Gold’s Card Partners

• Daniel James Salon, 45 W. Bay St.

• A Cut Above Salon, 1 Independent Dr., Suite 107

• Sushila’s Beauty Care, Inc., 5111-18 Baymeadows Rd.

• River City Deli, 315 W. Forsyth St.

• Jamba Juice, 8060 Phillips Hwy., No. 207

• Fontana’s Italian Restaurant & Catering, 7605 Beach Blvd.

• Burrito Gallery, 21 E. Adams St.

• Motor Wings, 8101-3 Old Kings Rd. S.

• Funari’s Italian Creamery, 9475 Philips Hwy., Suite 004 and 1232 Beach Blvd.

• Subway, St. Johns Town Center

• Haghighi Family & Sports Medicine, 9191 RG Skinner Pky., Ste. 901