Fitness SF hasn't had a presence in Mid-Market for very long: it launched at One 10th Street, at the base of the Twitter building, in the fall of 2014. But its roots are spreading quickly through the surrounding community. 

Mid-Market is one of four Fitness SF locations in the city, and six Bay Area-wide. But at its core, this growing fitness empire is a home-grown, family-owned enterprise, said Troy Macfarland, the company's marketing director. The company's focus on engaging the community and empowering its workforce comes from the top.

The family behind Fitness SF emigrated from Hungary to the Bay Area with little to their names, explained Donald Emmerich, the Mid-Market gym's general manager. After much hard work, they built a real estate portfolio, which later fueled a collection of Gold's Gyms in San Francisco. But in recent years, they've ditched the franchise in favor of building a new fitness brand that attracts a more diverse clientele.

Since the Mid-Market location is in the heart of the city's technology corridor, creating a state-of-the-art facility was of high importance. But while Emmerich and Macfarland were happy to show off amenities like a spin studio equipped with world-class bikes and the Myride® virtual spin system, they were just as eager to talk about the programs they've built for lower-income neighbors and committed employees.

Photo: Allie Pape/Hoodline

So far, their largest community engagement initiative is a partnership with Harbor Light, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program run by The Salvation Army in SoMa. Over the past couple of years, they've made hiring graduates of the program a priority, Emmerich said, helping them answer the, "Now what?" question after getting clean. 

The Mid-Market location has hired nine to 10 Harbor Light graduates so far, and they're doing very well with the company. Some have even moved into management positions.

They also offer a special benefit to residents of Harbor House, the program's transitional housing complex for single-parent families. Anyone in Harbor House who completes six months of sober living is awarded a free Fitness SF membership (a $59-$79 value).

A slew of other nonprofits scattered across the Tenderloin also receive discounted memberships, and Emmerich said the gym will soon ink a partnership with another large nonprofit. While he acknowledged that community engagement is a required trade-off for taking advantage of the so-called 'Twitter tax break,' he stressed that being community-oriented has always been a part of the company's DNA.

The generosity extends to the staff: every employee who works at least 50 hours a month is given four free personal training sessions, and trainers are paid their regular rates to train their colleagues. The program helps all of the gym's employees—even those who can't afford full-time memberships—interact, learn from each other and live health-conscious lives, Emmerich said.

Photo: Allie Pape/Hoodline

Emmerich and Macfarland also noted that while Fitness SF offers a high-end gym experience at a relatively affordable price, it hasn't come at the cost of reducing the employee headcount. While other gyms use kiosks to sell memberships and onboard new clients, Fitness SF still employs staff to show potential new members around. Nearly all of their personal trainers are full-time employees, and the company foots the bill for specialized certification programs.

Emmerich says investing in the staff has paid off: many staff members have been with the company for years, which is rare in the fitness industry.

This summer, Fitness SF will host free outdoor fitness classes for the pubic, in collaboration with its neighbor The Market. On June 18th, July 23rd and August 21st, they'll teach Zumba and ballroom basics in Stevenson Commons, the public outdoor space between the two businesses.

Keep an eye on the Hoodline events calendar for more details on these upcoming classes, and other future public events at Fitness SF.