The newly launched franchise group will lead development for the premium Pilates brand, with plans to open 25 new studios this year
Prestige Franchise Partners, a new venture from the founders of FranPath Consulting, has taken over franchise development for Bodybar Pilates. The fast-growing boutique fitness brand, known for its modern take on reformer Pilates, made an appearance on both Inc.’s 5000 list of fastest-growing companies and Entrepreneur’s Top 500 Franchises for the second year in a row.
The franchise group says Bodybar Pilates generates average unit volumes north of $700,000 with net profits topping $182,000. To support its expansion push, the group has tapped franchise veteran Mike Baguley as vice president of franchise development.
“We’ve identified a significant opportunity in the premium fitness space,” Prestige Franchise Partners CDO Samantha Schweitzer said. “This Pilates concept has demonstrated exceptional unit economics, outperforming industry averages, making it an attractive investment for franchise partners looking for strong returns in the growing wellness sector.”
Prestige Franchise Partners confirms it’s targeting U.S. cities with populations over 100,000 and plans to open 25 new studios this year and add another 75 to its development pipeline.
“We have proof of concept in many different markets with our 56 open US studios,” Schweitzer tells ATN. “Our research indicates strong demand in these segments, and we plan to expand to additional markets in phases.”
The boutique fitness concept recently expanded its partnership with FitGrid, which provides AI-powered solutions to help studios gather actionable feedback from guests and members, uncover data trends and identify opportunities for improvement. Plans are also in the works to expand Bodybar’s retail offerings with curated apparel and product collaborations.
Beyond Bodybar Pilates, the franchising group plans to add one new brand to its portfolio each quarter.
The news comes as the Pilates boom shows no signs of slowing down. As highlighted in a recent report from BFS, Pilates has a clear advantage over other boutique fitness offerings for its premium pricing, generally small footprint and large margins.
Another notable move in the Pilates space: a seasoned industry leader is reentering the boutique fitness scene. Pilates Addiction, led by CEO Sarah Luna, former president of Xponential Fitness and veteran executive at Club Pilates and Pure Barre, has opened its first location in West Hollywood with expansion plans underway for Los Angeles and New York City. The Pilates franchise touts its patented WundaFormer, an exclusive machine that combines a reformer, jump board, ballet barre and Wunda Chair into a single platform unique to Pilates Addiction.
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