Australian Muscle The Gym in Pooraka, Lodge Fitness Centre in Salisbury East to close

Two gyms in Adelaide’s north are closing – as an industry veteran offers a damning assessment of a gym scene dominated by giants.

Australian Muscle The Gym manager Adrian Musseau and owner Kim Tanska. Picture: Emma Brasier

A fitness industry veteran is warning smaller, independently-owned gyms face a bleak future after two long-running gyms in Adelaide’s north this week announced they would close.

Just hours apart on Monday, Australian Muscle The Gym at Pooraka and The Lodge Fitness Centre at Salisbury East separately shared online their gyms would close.

Australian Muscle The Gym owner Kim Tanska said the official reason for closing was because the landlord was not renewing the lease – but it had just hastened closure that was “inevitable anyway” as the financial challenges of running a small gym got tougher.

Australian Muscle The Gym manager Adrian Musseau and owner Kim Tanska. Picture: Emma Brasier

“The gym industry is very difficult at the moment for smaller operators,” he said. “The industry is being taken over by big conglomerates with massive mega gyms.

“The new trainer that is coming now into the gym scene expects a 10,000 sqm facility with 300 pieces of equipment and only pay $7.95 a week.

“(Big chains) work on getting 5000 members at a lower price. Us small operators, we just can’t compete with that.”

The former competitive bodybuilder, who also owns Australian Muscle-branded supplement stores, opened the gym 13 years ago, fulfilling a longtime dream,

But Mr Tanska said the future for independent gyms was “bleak” as bigger operators dominated and operating costs rose, saying his electricity bill had increased from $900 a quarter to just under $4000 since he opened.

Outside the Australian Muscle The Gym in Pooraka, which is closing down.

“I’m in a way relieved that the battle is over,” Mr Tanska said. “I’m more sad for my members, because the people who do training at facilities like this, they don’t want to go to the big gyms with 5000 members.”

The gym has been a second home to manager Adrian Musseau, who started out as a member and met his wife – Mr Tanska’s daughter, Kia – at the gym.

“I’m gutted. It’s hard because it’s like losing a part of myself, even though it’s not my business,” he said.

“It was always my intention to maybe buy it from Kim.

“Memories have been made here, lives have been made here, families have been made here. It’s a bit of a kick in the heart.”

Australian Muscle The Gym manager Adrian Musseau and owner Kim Tanska. Picture: Emma Brasier

The Lodge Fitness Centre at Salisbury East is closing down. Picture: Emma Brasier

The gym will close on June 21, just a day after the closure date planned for the Lodge Fitness Centre.

The Lodge Fitness Centre said on its website the “decision (to close) was not made lightly, and we share in your sense of loss”.

“The property on which our facility stands has been sold, and despite our thorough exploration of alternatives, we have determined that relocating the business is not financially viable,” the statement said.

“Over nearly four decades … it has been a place where friendships were forged, health journeys began, and countless personal victories were celebrated.”

The Lodge Fitness Centre was contacted for further comment.

Originally published as Australian Muscle The Gym in Pooraka, Lodge Fitness Centre in Salisbury East to close