EVERETT — 24 Hour Fitness will open a new fitness club in the Silver Lake neighborhood, filling a space left by QFC’s departure last year.
The supermarket closed a little more than a year ago after the QFC chain decided not to renew its lease at Silver Lake Center, 11014 19th Ave. SE.
The 24 Hour Fitness club actually will occupy more space than the former supermarket, with a large main workout floor, group exercise rooms, as well as a full-sized basketball court, pool, spa and a short-term day-care center.
Craig Skotdal of Skotdal Real Estate, which owns the shopping center, called 24 Hour Fitness a “terrific new anchor for Silver Lake Center.”
Bruce Banker of 24 Hour Fitness said the new club should be ready by about October, as it will require some construction and modification to the existing space.
Once the new club opens, the 24 Hour Fitness at 10110 Evergreen Way will close. That location has been operated by 24 Hour Fitness since 1999, and was a health club under different ownership prior to that.
With more than 400 stores, making it the world’s largest privately owned and operated fitness center chain, 24 Hour Fitness began in 1983.
The chain operates one other Snohomish County location, in Lynnwood. But Banker said the chain would like to expand further in the Puget Sound area.
“We’re excited about being there, and this will be a great club for us,” he said.
Skotdal said the addition of 24 Hour Fitness to Silver Lake Center is part of a growing trend of adding “lifestyle” businesses to shopping destinations. It’s the same trend that brought LA Fitness to open last year at Everett Mall. “Our long-term focus is to make this a community gathering place, and we’re actively seeking new tenants that can fill that niche,” he said in a written statement.
Before the fitness club opens in the center, which also hosts a recently expanded Bartell Drug store, a new outlet for El Paraiso Mexican Grill, which also has a restaurant in downtown Everett, will open.
Reporter Eric Fetters: 425-339-3453 or fetters@heraldnet.com.
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