The former Walmart at 3684 W. Shaw Ave. in Fresno is being converted into a Chuze Fitness club, set to open Friday, Sept. 18. Photo by Ben Hensley

Two fitness chains are expanding their Central Valley footprint, with Chuze Fitness scheduled to open its Fresno gym Sept. 18 and Crunch Fitness announcing a $5 million club planned for Visalia later this year.

The projects will bring strength-training areas, group exercise studios and recovery amenities to both cities, with both companies advertising memberships starting at $9.99.

Chuze’s Fresno location will occupy space in a former Walmart on West Shaw Avenue. Crunch’s $5 million Visalia club will span 50,000 square feet at 3535 S. Mooney Blvd., according to a company announcement.

Chuze prepares Fresno opening

Chuze announced its club at 3684 W. Shaw Ave. will open Friday, Sept. 18, bringing a year-round fitness operation to the former retail space.

The gym will feature a Lift Lab, a dedicated strength-training area with squat racks, lifting platforms, dumbbells, benches and specialized machines targeting the lower body.

A recovery studio will include red light therapy, a cold-therapy chair and compression boots. The gym will also offer an infrared sauna, the company’s opening announcement said.

Studio IR will provide heated fitness classes, including hot yoga and barre. Members will also have access to an outdoor exercise space.

The club’s Chuze Cinema will allow members to use cardio equipment while watching movies on a large screen with theater-style sound.

Chuze’s Fresno location page also lists a pool and hot tub among the planned amenities. Access to amenities will vary by membership tier.

Memberships start at $9.99 per month, with a $59.99 annual membership fee. Presale memberships are available now.

The chain is also planning a separate Clovis location at Sierra Pavilion. Its website lists a fall 2027 opening for that club at 1155 Shaw Ave.

Chuze opened its first gym in Carlsbad in 2008. Its Central Valley footprint also includes Bakersfield and Stockton.

Plans for the remaining space

Leasing materials for the former Walmart indicate the more than 126,000-square-foot building was marketed for division into smaller tenant spaces. That suggests Chuze’s arrival could be part of a broader reuse of the property, though the gym’s exact footprint and plans for the remaining space have not been confirmed.

A 2023 brochure from Retail California, a division of Pearson Realty, advertised flexible tenant configurations within the building and separate development pads along Brawley Avenue.

Chuze Fitness’ other footprint locations range in size from approximately 16,000 square feet to over 55,000 square feet. Those footprints, combined with leasing materials advertising subdivision of the former Walmart, suggest the Fresno gym may occupy part of the building alongside space for additional tenants, though the final configuration has not been confirmed.

A message seeking comment was left for Nick Frechou, the broker identified in the property’s 2023 leasing materials. No response was received before publication.

Crunch plans $5 million Visalia club

Crunch Visalia will be operated by franchisee Fitness Ventures LLC and feature the chain’s Crunch 3.0 design.

The company announced the opening and start of presales in late 2026. It did not provide a specific opening date.

Planned amenities include Olympic lifting platforms, a dedicated group fitness studio, hot yoga, personal training and a functional training area with indoor turf. The club will also offer circuit training, high-intensity interval training and TRX suspension training.

Recovery amenities will include HydroMassage beds, an infrared sauna and a Frost Locker. Other features include tanning, Kids Crunch babysitting and locker rooms with showers and a sauna.

“We are excited to bring a bigger and better Crunch to Visalia. Crunch is for everyone, from the first-time gym-goer to the seasoned athlete. Add in a high-energy and fun environment, and with memberships starting at $9.99 per month, we have options to meet everyone’s goals and budget!” said Brian Hibbard, CEO of Fitness Ventures LLC.

The company is advertising a founding-member promotion for the first 500 people to enroll, including $1 down, one month free, a T-shirt and discounts on small-group and personal training.

Crunch Visalia is also recruiting employees. Membership and employment information is available at the company’s Visalia location website.

Fitness Ventures was founded by Hibbard in 2016. According to the release, the franchisee operates 123 locations across 30 states and expects to exceed 130 by year-end.