MOUNT GREENWOOD — CrossFit Beverly is settling into its new location at 3037 W. 111th St. — in Mount Greenwood.
The gym boasting 160 members moved on Memorial Day, General Manager Shawn Coffey said Tuesday.
The gym first opened in 2011 near 111th Street and Western Avenue in Morgan Park. From there it moved to 10552 S. Western Ave. in Beverly and had been at 2745 111th St. in Morgan Park since March 2014.
CrossFit Beverly has moved to 3037 W. 111th St. in Mount Greenwood. The gym is open Mondays-Saturdays. [DNAinfo/Howard A. Ludwig]
Coffey said the current gym is a "better space" and added that about 85 percent of the members live within the 19th Ward.
Owner John McMullen added that his lease was up in Morgan Park, and he was keeping an eye out for a new spot.
"Large-footprint commercial space is difficult to come by. So when the offer came about I saw a great opportunity. We couldn’t be happier with the decision, and we look forward to many years of operation here," McMullen said Wednesday.
He said that nobody thought it was "weird" when CrossFit Beverly was in Morgan Park. So he doesn't think the move to Mount Greenwood will either hurt the brand or confuse customers.
"I don’t discern invisible borders, as I don’t believe it is relevant to the service we provide. Quality programming, great coaching and a cool and functional space is all that matters," he said.
Additionally, McMullen said CrossFit is a global brand, so no two gyms can share a name. Southside CrossFit was taken by a gym in Boston, and the owner also said he was looking for a short, identifiable name.
CrossFit Beverly won out, which McMullen believes provides potential members with a general location as well as gives "ownership to the community at large." He said his ultimate goal is to operate as a regional gym, attracting clients from throughout the area.
The new location replaces The Boot Camp Guy, which had operated out of the space for two years. Owner Chris Brown said his gym moved to 10406 S. Kedzie Ave. in Mount Greenwood.
Brown said he's still seeing clients while also spending more time pursuing other business interests. Meanwhile, he's handed over much of the operation to general manager Kelly King.
McMullen said a grand opening celebration at CrossFit Beverly is in the works. In the meantime, the gym offers a free CrossFit workouts to potential members every second and fourth Tuesday of the month.
CrossFit KidsBoot Camp and yoga are also available and a cardio kickboxing class is planned for the fall, he said.
"With the extensive training and continuing education our staff goes through, our knowledge of body mechanics and scaling of movement we believe we offer the best fitness program on the South Side," McMullen said.
CrossFit Beverly opened May 29 at 3037 W. 111th St. in Mount Greenwood. [DNAinfo/Howard A. Ludwig]
