Longtime Member Buys Local Gym

John Heller had been talking about taking over as owner of for seven or eight years. But it was never the right time.

Two months ago, it was the right time.

Just last week, Heller, of Riverton, officially became the new owner of the popular Main Street gym. Heller isn’t an experienced gym owner—just a longtime gym member who didn’t want to see it close.

“It’s a new experience for me,” Heller said. “There’s a lot more to running the business than I had anticipated, but I’m pleased.”

Heller and his wife built a house in Riverton about 18 years ago. He grew up in Moorestown and lived in Cherry Hill prior to moving to the borough. He was an executive with PECO in Philadelphia for more than 20 years, then left nearly a decade ago to start his own real estate investment company, Pointe Property LLC.

Heller received his real estate license and works for Long & Foster in Moorestown.

Heller started going to the gym in Riverton about 10 years ago and said the primary force behind going there was the atmosphere.

“It’s just a very comfortable setting for people to be in,” Heller said. “I’ve tried other gyms. They just weren’t motivating for me. This atmosphere is very comfortable.”

Riverton Health & Fitness is located in a historic but remodeled building at 600 Main Street behind Riverton Deli. The second-floor gym boasts dozens of pieces of equipment, free weights and flat-screen TVs, all with exposed brick and wood beams for a homey feel, not a gym feel.

On the first floor, there are classes for Zumba, yoga and Irish dance, among others.

“It’s a personable place,” said Cinnaminson resident Ken Mahoney, who’s been going to the gym for about 10 years. “It has all the things I need—a full range of cardio equipment, all the weights I need, a sauna. After you come here for a while, you know everyone.”

Heller wanted to make sure that “personable” feel continued when he took over. He spoke to the club members about what they would like to see change in the gym. Many said newer equipment. So a few weeks ago, Heller replaced seven treadmills with new ones.

However, his very first order of business was to clean the place from top to bottom.

“It’s a very noticeable difference,” Heller said. “The club members have just been raving about how we’re taking care of the gym.”

Heller said he is also instituting a preventative maintenance program on the equipment to be “proactive instead of reactive about equipment breaking down.”

There will also be more formalized class training, Heller said.

“I’m looking to keep things fresh in the gym,” he added. “Maybe once a month, or every other month, we’ll introduce some form of new piece of equipment.”

And even though Heller hasn’t been working out too much himself lately, he still wants to focus on his own physical fitness. Heller’s fitness goals include bodybuilding.

And if Heller needs to be happy with working out in the gym, his clients do too.

“I’m getting a lot of feedback from the club members,” Heller said.

Membership is around 1,300 and Heller employs a staff of seven.

“You have to have that warm, friendly and clean environment that people feel comfortable training in,” he said.