By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
The Petrie family dreamed about opening a gym near their hometown of Martin. But after several opportunities failed to pan out, they thought it might be time to move on from that dream.
That’s when the Petries found a building that would perfectly suit their needs.
Located at 557 Lincoln Road in Otsego, Great Gains Fitness is now up and running, offering its users a mixture of free weights, pin-selectorized equipment and cardiovascular equipment such as treadmills, elliptical machines and stationary bikes.
“We’d been looking for a building big enough so we could bring a nice gym close to Martin,” said Bobbie Petrie, who owns and operates Great Gains Fitness alongside husband Tony and son Kyle. “We looked in Allegan, Plainwell and Otsego. Then we found this space, which had the size and leasing opportunity we were looking for.”
The building was formally used for industrial purposes, giving the gym a unique vibe.
“People who walk in for the first time say it feels like it should be in Chicago since it has an industrial feel,” Bobbie Petrie said. “Everyone seems to like it, and the pictures just don’t do it justice. When you see it in person, it’s much bigger than it looks in the pictures.
“We have around 86 pieces of cable, plate-loaded and cardio machines. And that doesn’t include bosu balls, resistance bands, free weights, landmines and some other things.”
The desire to open a gym came from Bobbie and Tony Petrie’s personal experience of trying to find a place for their sons—including Kyle—to workout during their high school years.
“We would drive our boys up to Oshtemo to workout and we often talked about how it would have been nice to have a good-size gym closer so we wouldn’t have had to travel that far.”
And it they were having that experience, the Petries reasoned, then other families were likely going through a similar experience.
So, they began searching for the right location for their gym.
Just before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Petries inquired about buying a gym in Otsego, but that opportunity didn’t come to fruition. Then came COVID, which forced gyms to shut down, thereby putting the Petries in a holding pattern.
Once they resumed their search, the Petries weren’t able to find the right building for their vision and were on the verge of giving up.
“That’s when we found this place,” Bobbie Petrie said.
Given the fact that Great Gains Fitness is a family endeavor, it should come as no surprise that the Petries are trying to foster a family-like setting in the gym.
“We like to walk around and interact with the different guests or members to help them in any way we can and to get to know them better,” Kyle Petrie said. “If anyone ever has any questions when they’re working, we don’t want them to hesitate to ask for our help. We are their to assist in any way we can.”
Members of the Petrie family have been using the type of equipment featured at Great Gains for more than a decade, giving them a solid base of knowledge.
In addition to the exercise equipment, the gym also features a basketball room. The half-court setup is currently available on a first-come, first-served basis, although that could change depending on the demand.
“When we start getting more people using (the basketball room), then we might have to put in time blocks that guests can sign-up for,” Kyle Petrie said. “And if the opportunity arises, we may hold classes in there as long as no one is using the court at that time.”
Tanning rooms are also in the plans for the future, as are an additional bathroom and drinking fountain.
“We will also have a pose room for the body builders, more machines and a little cross fit section,” Bobbie Petrie said. “This is going to take time, but we hope in about a year to a year-and-a-half this part will be done.”
Currently, Great Gains Fitness is open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. When 24-hour keycard access becomes available to members, the hours will change to 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Four membership options are available:
- $45 for month-to-month with no commitment or enhancement fee
- $35 per month with a 12-month commitment and an enhancement fee
- $25 per month with an 24-month commitment and an enhancement fee
- $365 for a yearly membership
The enhancement fee is $25 every six months. Day passes are also available for $5.
For more information, visit greatgainsfitnessotsego.com or call (269) 694-1000.
