Anytime Fitness | Hutto

Anytime Fitness | Hutto

By Suzanne Haberman Friday, 12 March 2010

HUTTO — Anytime Fitness owner Chad Charnas keeps a copy of “Total Body Makeover” by Bob Greene, Oprah’s personal trainer, in the office of his 24-hour gym. He draws clients’ attention to the stunning before-and-after pictures on the back of the book, specifically the images of Renée Byrd, who lost more than 150 pounds naturally.

Byrd lives in Hutto and works out at Anytime Fitness. Before Anytime Fitness opened in her hometown, Byrd had to work out at a gym in Round Rock. While she was hesitant to switch gyms at first, Charnas impressed her with his friendly and down-to-earth management during their first consultation, which he offers to every potential member.

“He never tried to sell the gym membership on anything other than your health is important and that it’s a good fit,” she said.

Having a convenient and comfortable gym was paramount to Byrd's ability to stay fit. She said she found what she needed at Anytime Fitness in Hutto.

“You have such a sense of community here as far as the way the people are, the support that you get, no matter what your goals are and no matter what you look like,” she said. “It’s just constant support.”

Charnas and his wife, Melanie, moved to Central Texas from Illinois in 2009 with the idea of opening a branch of the gym franchise. He had been in the food industry for 11 years—and still owns two Culver’s restaurants in the Midwest—but said he was only good at the customer service aspect of the business.

“So we wanted to do something that played to my strengths a little better. Here I just get to work with my members and can focus on my hospitality,” Charnas said.

Charnas was a member of Anytime Fitness before he considered running his own facility. He relied on working out not just for fun and stress relief, but to maintain his health so he could be a healthier father for his two children.

“I’ve always needed it, so it just made sense for me to do something I’m passionate about,” he said.

After researching other gym franchises, Charnas decided the eight-year-old Anytime Fitness company, based in South Hastings, Minn., offered the best concept for his business and the Hutto community, where he wanted to open his gym. Members can join the Hutto location for about $35 a month and go to any of the approximately 1,200 gyms in the country. Members who opt to pay a little extra get access to an in-house tanning booth.

Charnas’ passion toward his gym and fitness has been contagious. About 200 people signed up before he opened, and he is already halfway to reaching the company’s designated cap of 1,200 members.

“We’ve surpassed every benchmark,” he said.

Now Byrd is getting her personal training certification and planning on working at Anytime Fitness this spring or summer. Byrd said she would not have dreamed of becoming a trainer if Charnas had not encouraged her, just as he does all the members.

“Chad has really taken the time to be present in the gym,” she said. “He talks to everybody and makes them feel important, and they are important.”