A Vacant Big Box in Apple Valley Is Becoming an $8M Crunch Fitness
You have driven past it for years.
A dark storefront.
Too much parking.
Too much square footage.
Now it is getting a second life.
That vacant JoAnn store in Apple Valley is being transformed into a massive new Crunch Fitness, and the investment behind it says a lot about where the south metro is headed.
What’s Going Into the Space
This is not a stripped down gym.
The former big box will reopen as a roughly 50,000 square foot fitness center near 150th Street West with
• Olympic lifting platforms
• Dedicated cycling studios
• Hot yoga rooms
• Recovery features including red light therapy
• On site childcare while you work out
The price point is the part that surprises most people.
Memberships start at $9.99.
For a space this large with this level of buildout, that is aggressive.
Why This Is an $8M Bet on the South Metro
This location is part of a bigger plan.
The operator intends to open up to six Twin Cities Crunch Fitness locations by the end of 2026, with a clear focus on the southern suburbs.
That tells you two things
• They believe population growth supports it
• They believe residents will use it consistently
Gyms only work when people show up multiple times a week. This is a daily use business, not a destination you visit once a month.
Why This Matters for Apple Valley
Big box retail has struggled across the metro since the pandemic.
When spaces like this go dark, they drag down entire centers.
This does the opposite.
A gym brings
• Morning traffic
• Evening traffic
• Weekday traffic
• Weekend traffic
That helps nearby restaurants, coffee shops, and service businesses survive. It also stabilizes retail corridors without needing another chain store selling seasonal goods.
The Bigger Trend You’re Seeing
This is not just an Apple Valley story.
Across the Twin Cities, empty retail is being replaced by
• Gyms
• Medical clinics
• Childcare centers
• Entertainment and experience driven uses
These tenants are stickier. They are harder to replace, but they also do not disappear overnight.
From a commercial standpoint, this is a smarter reuse of space.
What Comes Next
Expect more of this.
Fewer traditional big box stores.
More daily habit spaces.
More places people return to several times a week.
For Apple Valley, this is a strong signal that landlords and operators see long term demand here, not decline.
Your Take
Would you rather see more gyms move into old retail spaces.
Or would you prefer something completely different take their place.
Does this make the area more attractive to you.
Or does it feel repetitive.
Drop your take below.
