By Mike Nuzzo, Xponential Fitness

A recent article in The New York Times detailed the disappearance of the “third place,” a public space where people can linger or gather informally.

With remote work becoming more common and the rise of delivery apps, consumers aren’t hanging out in cafes, coffee shops, or bars as they did in decades past.

Streaming is taking its toll on movie theaters. Concert tickets are too expensive. And the list goes on. If people are losing their traditional “third places,” entrepreneurs that create community have a real competitive edge.

Boutique fitness franchises, such as Club Pilates and YogaSix, are naturally positioned to fill this gap as consumers today are more health-conscious than ever, and franchising makes premium boutique workouts accessible to millions. Beyond these factors, programming design, member appreciation events, and franchisees who are in tune with their local communities can facilitate boutique fitness becoming the modern-day “third place.”

Programming and Studio Design

Boutique fitness is predisposed to being a “third place” since the workouts are done in a group setting. People aren’t moseying around a weight room with their earbuds in, tuning out the rest of the world. They are actively engaged with their instructor and the members around them for 30 minutes or more, especially if they are participating in a station-based workout like Body Fit Training, in which you are divided into groups of two or three.

Many boutique fitness studios typically only have one large room to offer workouts. When classes are back-to-back on the schedule, members may have five to 10 minutes to wait in the lobby with other members before class starts – an optimal time to catch up with other members about their day or what they’ve been up to since their last workout together. They came for the fitness but stayed for the friendship and now see the studio as part of their weekly social routine as much as their health routine.

Studios can also encourage camaraderie and friendly competition among their members with fitness trackers and leaderboards. When you notice that Susan won your studio’s 8-week transformation challenge, you might be inclined to ask her how she did it and strike up a conversation. Boutique fitness is designed around repetition, shared challenge and ritual, which are the same ingredients that made classic third places stick in the first place.

Member Appreciation Events

Outside of your studio’s regular programming, member appreciation events can be a positive way to enhance the “third place” feeling. This could be anything from a seasonal member challenge to a recurring “Wine Down Wednesday” to “Bring a Friend for Free” week. These types of events encourage repeat visits and post-class socialization, growing and strengthening your community.

For example, Pure Barre’s Barre Stronger Challenge drew over 28,615 members to participate in March 2025, with 15,059 of them successfully completing 20 classes in 31 days. The more frequently you can get members returning, the stronger a “third place” you can build.

The Franchising Advantage

While any fitness brand can tap into the ideas above to solidify their status as a “third place,” franchises in particular can take it to another level entirely through community ties and involvement. Being in the franchise space, Xponential Fitness brands are fortunate to have local owners and operators who know their local communities inside and out.

Every boutique fitness studio owner should partner with nearby businesses to expand their “third space.” They can also offer themed classes tied to local happenings such as a concert or parade, something that corporate-owned stores might not be as attuned to.

At Xponential, our franchisees are that quintessential piece in making boutique fitness the new “third place.”

Mike Nuzzo is the CEO of Xponential Fitness.

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