4 Years of The Garage Gym Westfield (story time)

Four Years of The Garage Gym Westfield

By Kieran Williams, Co-Founder & CEO

Four years ago this Memorial Day Weekend, we opened The Garage Gym Westfield at 613 Central Ave.

4 years ago I had no idea what I was doing.

4 years later… I’m still not convinced I know what I’m doing.

Here's how The Garage Gym Westfield came to life 4 years ago:

How I got here

In 2021 I found The Garage Gym as a member.

And then I just… never left.

Training multiple times a day, getting engrained in the culture, becoming part of something I didn't fully understand yet but could feel - it was a feeling of belonging I was missing.

The Garage Gym at the time was run by my now partner and best bud, Sam Tooley, on the side of running Alpha Fit Club. 

AFC is a really cool group fitness concept that as it grew, Sam had less and less time to give to The Garage.

He was about to shut the business down so he could focus on Alpha… but then I literally and metaphorically walked in. 

Sam texted me one day in 2021:

“I have an idea”

My response ?

*I sent him my signature with the Apple Digital Touch function*

I was eager to do something outside my normal 9-5 software sales job, so sent him my signature as a way of saying, ‘down for whatever you want’.

But I was not expecting him to ask if I wanted to partner with him on The Garage Gym. 

& the catch? 

He wanted $0.

But - as an avid watcher of Shark Tank I asked that he value the business and let me invest.

It felt like the right thing to do - without any skin in the game I didn’t feel comfortable just… taking a business. 

So, he invited me to coffee and said that he was interested in keeping a minimum of 50% of the business and that his valuation came to $100,000.

After very little thought, I realized that 50% felt way better than any other number…

so I asked Sam what the best way to get him $50,000 was.

I'm omitting a lot of funny details… but that's the gist and we hit the ground running.

I now owned… a business ? 

The move to Westfield

In October 2021 we were operating out of 64 N Ave in Garwood and by December we realized we needed more space.

At the time, Sam was evaluating spaces for another concept he was involved in when he realized that the space he was looking at - 613 Central Ave in Westfield - would be a perfect Garage Gym. 

An old tile showroom and warehouse that needed to be completely converted into a gym, we signed the lease and got to work. 

I had never built a gym (just then… recently began ownership of one though). 

I had never selected rubber flooring, navigated plumbing inspectors, talked to an HVAC company, or decided on 12x24 bathroom tiles.

Architect. General contractor. Equipment layout. What to buy first, how to buy it (payment terms??), and what to wait on.

Sam led the buildout and it was an amazing experience to learn from. 

It's one of my favorite memories of the entire Garage Gym story - building something from scratch with my friend, figuring it out in real time, having no idea what I was doing and figuring it out anyway.

Memorial Day Weekend 2022, we opened the doors.

Four years later

A lot has changed since then.

Equipment has come and gone, we've expanded, added in a new HVAC system, and a new bathroom.

We've learned a lot about our members, what they care about, and how we best serve them.

But one thing hasn't changed.

Our mission to support our members in the pursuit of their 100%. Physically, mentally, socially - the best version of themselves. 

I can’t say it was the clear mission from day one - but 4 years later - it is the clear mission now. 

Westfield has become something we're incredibly proud of. 

Not only because of the equipment or the space - but mostly because of the people. The members who applied to be here, who show up consistently for themselves, and who make The Garage Gym the special place it is.

Four years in.

A lifetime to go.

If you've ever walked through the doors of The Garage Gym Westfield - thank you. 

If you haven’t and are curious about it - come see it for yourself.

Apply here: thegaragegym.co/get-started

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FAQ

When did The Garage Gym Westfield open? The Garage Gym Westfield opened Memorial Day Weekend 2022 at 613 Central Ave, Westfield, NJ. It was converted from an old tile showroom and warehouse by co-founders Kieran Williams and Sam Tooley.

How did The Garage Gym start? The Garage Gym was originally founded by Sam Tooley and operated out of Garwood, NJ. In October 2021 Kieran Williams joined as co-founder and partner. The business relocated to Westfield in May 2022 and opened a second location in Little Silver, NJ in 2023.

What makes The Garage Gym Westfield different from other gyms? The Garage Gym Westfield is a limited membership, 24/7 open gym. Every member applies, speaks with the TGG team, and tours the facility before joining. Membership is capped to ensure the facility is always clean and never crowded.

How do I join The Garage Gym Westfield? Apply at thegaragegym.co/get-started. You'll speak with our Onboarding Officer and tour the facility with Kieran before being invited to join.