Core CrossFit is moving to McKinley Street, leaving its former space to a brand new brewery and restaurant.
The local fitness center was located in the J.B. Bayless building on Seventh and Roosevelt streets for five years until owner Kim Flores decided it was time to make a change.
“We outgrew our space,” Flores said. “We’re bursting at the seams.”
The new location, formerly an Assembly of God Church, is located on Ninth and McKinley streets — about two blocks away from the original site.
Flores said she was concerned that some would disagree with the fitness center using the church.
“We weren’t really sure how that would affect people,” Flores said. “Some are really surprised about it.”
The church building’s exterior remains intact as they make heavy changes to the interior. Flores said that it needed heavy refurbishing. The pews have been removed to make the main floor while the basement will be used for special classes. Many of the walls are being repainted and new floors have been placed, Flores said.
“I know some people were skeptical because it was an old church,” said Candace Jackson, a Core CrossFit staff member and ASU Nursing graduate. “But I think everyone came on board once everything started going and saw the potential in the space.”
Along with the main gym, there will also be room for wellness professionals like nutrition experts, physical therapists and yoga instructors in the side buildings of the church.
“There’s no way we could do this in the old building,” Flores said.
While Core CrossFit makes its transition, another business is planning to open in its old location.
Julie Meeker is the owner of Mother Bunch Brewing, which will be located on Seventh and Roosevelt streets in the former location of Core CrossFit.
“We lucked into this place,” she said. “It took us a long time to even find a location.”
The business will include a restaurant and bar with its own locally made brew, Meeker said. She added that she has been planning the brewery for more than a year and has benefited from the support of Local First Arizona.
“When you’re a start-up nobody wants to take a chance on you,” Meeker said. “One of the first things that we did was join Local First. Their whole adaptive reuse program got us hooked up with people. They’re really trying to grow local business.”
In addition to the brewery, Meeker said she plans to use leftover grain as animal feed for GrowFood and hopes to add a Grid Bike Share station to the front of the building.
“I think it will be good for the neighborhood. It’ll bring a lot of business into this district from the college,” said Chase Harkins, manager of Hybikes and next-door neighbor to the upcoming brewery.
While both Core CrossFit locations are currently running, Kim Flores expects to officially open the new fitness center by next week and Mother Bunch Brewery is expected to open sometime in June.
Contact the reporter at jestable@asu.edu.
