Sunshine Coast couple and new owners buy and boost Club Pilates Noosa
After suffering plenty of injury setbacks during their sporting careers one Sunshine Coast couple were inspired to snap up Noosa’s newest health venue. Read how they’ve gone.
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A Sunshine Coast couple have eagerly snatched up a pilates studio after seeing how the exercise helped them bounce back from sport injuries and support Olympic athletes.
Buderim couple Alastair Snell and Danielle Gannan bought Club Pilates Noosa along Gibson Rd, Noosaville in June, after it first opened in 2020.
Pilates – originating nearly 100 years ago – is a low-impact, mind-body exercise from teens to the elderly to support flexibility, muscular strength, typically targeting the core, and physical recovery.
Ms Gannan said her passion for pilates sparked when it allowed her to return to the tennis court after being unable to play because of injuries.
Mr Snell, a former competitive cricket and hockey player, said he spotted the benefits after working with Olympic athletes and teams in New Zealand while working as a senior sports administrator in the early-2000s.
The couple, former members of the studio they now own, said they thought about leaving the area to open a pilates studio before the venue in Noosa became available.
The pilates enthusiasts have hit the ground running, with revenue increasing by more than 100 per cent in the past four months.
Mr Snell, who currently has another job in the health and science sector, said he boosted trade by investing in marketing, hiring a sales manager and a new lead instructor, and creating a friendly, community vibe.
Ms Gannan added that they created a fragrant, aesthetic environment with a good team at the helm.
“Surround ourselves with the best in the business,” she said.
While they made tactical changes to attract more people, Mr Snell said people were keen on the exercise after paying greater attention to their physical and mental health during and after the pandemic.
He said the exercise was also fun, uncompetitive and attractive for every age and fitness level, saying they have members from age 14 to in their 80s. It was especially helpful for the elderly in slowing down senescence.
“It’s not like going to the gym,” he said.
It comes as the Sunshine Coast Daily earlier this year revealed the value of the sports and fitness industry to the region.
The industry was valued at $405m in the 2020-21 financial year, up 46 per cent on the previous financial year.
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