Rock Revolution
Charlottesville, Virginia
Specs: Rock Revolution, Charlottesville’s newest bouldering gym, held its grand opening in the North-Central Virginia city on August 30. After moving to the town in 2020, Rock Revolution owners Jessica and Mike Kinnick “immediately fell in love with the area’s access to outdoor adventures,” Mike said, where they spent many weekends hiking, camping, biking, and making trips to the New River Gorge with their daughters. “Over the years, we’ve traveled to gyms and climbing areas across the country and always imagined what it would be like to bring that energy home,” he added. “Rock Revolution was born out of our family’s deep love for climbing and our desire to build something that would serve as a true community hub,” where climbers of all ages and experience levels would be welcomed.
The Rock Revolution team decided to open the gym over the summer, not only because that time was when construction was complete, but also because it allowed the gym to build momentum ahead of the fall season, when students would return to the nearby University of Virginia and routines would reset. “It’s a great time for families, students and new climbers to explore something different, and we’re excited to welcome the community during a season that naturally encourages activity and connection,” Mike shared. “It also allows us time to build and train a strong team, launch founding memberships, and establish Rock Revolution as a new hub for movement in Charlottesville.”
The Kinnicks chose Charlottesville as the city for their gym because “it has an active population, a strong outdoor culture, and a growing interest in climbing,” and because they love the Charlottesville community, Mike explained, noting they wanted to build a bouldering gym that “supports both beginners and seasoned climbers.” Rock Revolution was built in a preexisting structure, where they repurposed a former office building. “The building has great natural light, high ceilings, and a layout that we could tailor to a modern climbing gym,” Mike said. The proximity to the University of Virginia was another key factor in the team’s choice of location, since they wanted the gym to be easily accessible to students. Retrofitting the space for climbing involved “cutting out the floor between the first and second levels to accommodate our climbing walls and create an open, dynamic feel,” he added. Additionally, Mike said the building’s lot gives the team room to expand, with “a future phase two expansion that would include top rope climbing and additional amenities as our community grows.”
Rock Revolution was constructed in a 9,000-square-foot space with 3,500 square feet of climbing wall surface split between 16-foot walls—with circuit style ratings and V-grades—and a Tension Board 2. Visitors can access strength training equipment and take yoga and fitness classes, too. “In addition to a variety of terrain and thoughtful routesetting, we’re creating a space where people can truly connect through youth programs, adult leagues, wellness offerings and community events,” Mike stated. “The gym will also feature a multi-purpose space for hosting birthday parties, yoga classes and local gatherings, as well as a designated kids’ zone with top rope auto belay climbing to support families and younger climbers.”
Walls: EP Climbing
Flooring: Strati
CRM Software: Approach
Website: www.climbrockrevolution.com
Instagram: @RockRevCville
In Their Words: “Invest early in your team and your community. A climbing gym is more than just walls and holds; it’s the people who make the culture. Also, be thoughtful about your space and build in flexibility. Climbing trends and member needs will evolve.” – Mike Kinnick, Founder and Co-Owner of Rock Revolution
