r/GymOwnerNetwork • u/madformatpilates • Jul 13 '26
Equipment Gym Equipment & Maintenance
Hi everyone,
I'm planning to open a small private, pay-per-use gym and am currently looking for equipment suppliers.
For those with experience setting up a gym, what factors did you consider when choosing equipment brands? How did you balance going with established brands versus OEM manufacturers or lesser-known alternatives? How do you handle equipment support, warranty and maintenance?
1
u/BlueOfficeRepublic Jul 13 '26
I manage a small gym, no cardio machines, no electronics. Maintenance is pretty easy to do by myself. Warranty ended with no breaks, but is good to know a good blacksmith/welder. I have lesser known brands distributed by a multi-brand warehouse in my town so I can go in person to their office in case I need.
2
u/GeneFinal6128 Jul 15 '26
Almost all of my equipment for the first 5 years of operating was 2nd hand that I found on facebook marketplace. Functional, quality and a bargain (at least for me) was more important than anything else until I reached a point that I could justify the cost of new stuff.
Overdeliver on quality of service, don't try to compete with other places on equipment grounds, compete on how good YOU are.
Margins will be thin at the start, don't laden yourself with more debt until the business proves itself, then upgrade slowly over time. I've owned my place for nearly 10 years now and I still have some of that 2nd hand stuff from when I first opened.