Gas stations, supermarkets, doctors' offices, offices, residential areas, universities—which of these actually belong near a gym?
The answer is: It depends.
After all, there’s no such thing as a single “perfect” location for a gym. A premium club has different requirements for its surroundings than an affordable 24/7 gym. A health club requires different location factors than a boutique concept or a large fitness park.
This doesn't apply only to gyms, but this example illustrates the point well.
A good location analysis doesn't necessarily start with the question, "Where is there a lot of foot traffic?" but rather with the question: "What factors must come together at a location for this specific studio concept to work?"
What really makes a good location?
A good location is …
- not necessarily where most people live.
- not automatically in places where there are no competitors yet.
- nor necessarily where most POIs are located.
The key factor is whether the location (and its cost structures, such as rent and personnel), the surrounding area, the target audience, and the concept are a good fit.
Points of Interest—or POIs for short—are a key component. They show which facilities, businesses, and services are located near a potential site.
It's not just about having a lot of POIs nearby.
The key factor is which POIs are available and what they reveal about a location.
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Office locations and larger companies, for example, indicate a high daytime population. This can be of interest to a gym that partners with companies or offers pre- and post-workout classes.
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Supermarkets, shopping centers, and other high-traffic establishments generate a steady flow of customers, often offer good accessibility, and can provide additional visibility.
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Doctors, physical therapy practices, and other healthcare facilities, in turn, are particularly well-suited to programs that focus on prevention, rehabilitation, and health training.
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Universities and schools are characterized in particular by a young target audience.
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Hotels can open up opportunities for day visitors or business travelers.
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Cafés, organic grocery stores, and health-oriented offerings can define an environment that, in turn, aligns with a corresponding fitness or lifestyle concept.
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Gas stations, car dealerships, auto repair shops, or home improvement stores. These locations can also be of interest—because their concentration in, for example, a commercial or mixed-use area may indicate good accessibility by car and appropriate land-use patterns.
The site does not end at the property line
Even the perfect setting isn't enough if the building doesn't fit the concept.
Site analysis therefore also involves building analysis.
How big is the building? What floor space is actually available? What is the layout of the lot? Are there enough parking spaces? Is the studio visible from the street? How can the building be accessed? What other uses are located right next to it? And does the property even fit the planned studio concept?
Especially for larger gyms, the building's structure, the property, accessibility, and available space can be decisive factors.
This shifts the perspective: It’s not just “What’s around my location?” but also “What does this specific building at this exact location offer me?”
And then there's the competition
The presence of many gyms in an area doesn't necessarily mean the location is a bad choice. It can initially be a sign that there is demand.
It is therefore crucial to take a closer look:
Who’s already there—and what’s their approach?
Perhaps there are several traditional fitness chains, but no high-quality, premium options. Perhaps there’s no 24/7 gym. Or there may be gaps in boutique fitness, women’s fitness, functional training, health programs, or fitness programs for seniors.
This transforms the sheer intensity of competition into a competitive structure. Only this structure reveals whether a market is truly saturated or whether there is still potential within the existing supply.
POIs are much more than just points on a map. When interpreted correctly, they describe the surroundings of a location.
A picture of a location emerges from a wealth of data
To make a successful location decision, it is therefore necessary to consider various factors in conjunction with one another: points of interest (POIs) and competitors, population and sociodemographics, purchasing power, jobs, and day and night populations, as well as traffic and accessibility data and information on buildings and properties.
Added to this are empirical insights and the question of which factors are actually relevant to the concept in question. This is precisely where the difference lies between a map full of data points and a well-founded site evaluation.
At Nexiga, this information is linked, analyzed, and tailored to the specific location question. Drawing on extensive data and many years of experience in geomarketing, this process yields a nuanced picture of the market, the surrounding area, target audiences, the competition, and the property.
Ultimately, it's not about having as much data as possible about a location. It's about recognizing the right connections.
In addition to these specific POIs, Nexiga offers more than 515,000 top stores —that is, location addresses for more than 1,900 brands—for the reliable identification of sales hotspots and high-traffic establishments. The database provides detailed and insightful location and competitive analyses in the retail sector and related fields (finance and insurance, tourism, the automotive industry, etc.).
Nexiga has many locations as Points of Interest (POI) that are recorded as part of market market and location analyses .
It's worth taking a look at our extensive market data.
Points of Interest (POI) generally refer to geographic locationsthat are of interest to specific target groups . These can include, for example, restaurants, hotels, tourist attractions, retail stores, banks, or gas stations—or even indoor soccer facilities and much more.
POIs can be used for various analyses to gain valuable insights:
- Market analysesPOI can help to analyze the market potential, competition, customer structure and purchasing behavior in a particular region. For example, POI can be used to decide where to open a new location by analyzing the number and type of stores, population density, traffic situation and purchasing power in the surrounding area.
- Location Analyses: POIs can help assess a location’s attractiveness, accessibility, and level of competition.
- POIs make locations understandable: Nexiga Market Analyst Online uses a digital map to show you what defines a given area, what market potential exists, how accessible a location is, and what competition surrounds it. It thus provides an important foundation for gaining a clear picture during market and location analyses.
24.09.2026
Jochen Wetzel has been part of the Nexiga team for more than 25 years and is one of the most experienced experts in site and regional planning as well as location intelligence. He advises companies across a wide range of industries on strategic issues related to site analysis, competitive analysis, and data-driven decision-making.
