Gold's Gym Owners Recount Journey to 20 Years

In the early 1990s, Mike Epstein and Art Carril were both working long hours for other people.

Epstein worked for a large consulting company and Carril was employed as a civil engineer for a development company.

In their late 20s, the former roommates at the University of Delaware decided to quit and start  working for themselves.

"I saw at the end of the day, I could put 80 hours a week into my own business," Carril said.

On May 26, the business they started, on East Midland Avenue, celebrates its 20th birthday. The milestone probably seemed far off for Epstein and Carril when they were just starting out, putting in 18 hours a day to make the gym a success.

"When you're that young, you don't think past a year," Epstein said.

The gym has stayed true to its owners' vision. Epstein said the two envisioned creating a place where the whole community, people of all shapes and sizes, could feel comfortable working out.

Their work has received accolades, including a franchise of the year nod from Gold's Gym. The Paramus franchise was also recognized for starting the Gold's Gym Bike Team.

Epstein, whose mother is diabetic, formed the first Gold's bike team to ride to raise money to fight the desiase. Today there are more than 100 teams raising $400,000 a year.

"We're big believers in giving back," said Epstein, who has served a stint as president of the .

Over the years, Gold's has changed to fit its members' demands. When Epstein and Carril first opened the gym, weight training was all the rage, and cardio machines were less common.

Cardio machines have proliferated over the years, in number and type.

"The elliptical wasn't even invented then," Epstein said.

Group exercise programs, spinning and CrossFit have also grown in popularity over the last two decades. The gym even has a Muay Thai boxing program. 

Epstein said keeping up with the latest fitness trends has helped Gold's weather tough times.

"Because of how tough the economy's been, we've felt like we've had to reinvent ourselves a lot," Epstein said.

But some things, like the faces Epstein and Carril see very day, haven't changed. The gym has a few members who have been with them all 20 years, and some staffers as well, Epstein said.

Epstein sad the gym is like a family. 

"I think it's the people, No. 1 and the atmosphere," Epstein said. "I think it is absolutely a family atmosphere. People do look out for each other and care about each other and help each other."

Epstein and Carril both met their wives at the gym, and some members have met their spouses there, too.

Now that they each have young children, the co-owners don't spend the marathon hours at the gym they did at the start. Carril still remembers how he and Epstein used to fall asleep mid-conversation while sitting on the incline benches at the gym.

Carril caught shut eye wherever he could, regularly napping at a long red light on his way home from the gym at midnight.

"I'd put my foot on the brake and actually fall asleep," he said.

Epstein and Carril plan to celebrate their 20 years in business all year long, offering members special classes, giveaways and prizes.

"I think we always envisioned being in this as a lifelong pursuit," Epstein said.