From press release:
April 20, 2016 – San Francisco, California: Planet Granite is excited to announce our expansion to a fifth location in Chicago, Illinois! Slated to open in 2018 with a massive 45,000 square feet of space, it will provide the complete experience for which Planet Granite gyms are known, giving members and guests a tremendous variety of climbing alongside high-quality, diverse yoga classes and fitness offerings.
“We have a unique opportunity to build, from the ground up, a custom-designed and truly world-class facility, which will be the largest of its kind in the country,” said Micky Lloyd, founder of Planet Granite. “Chicago is a wonderful city full of athletic and outdoor folks, and we look forward to creating a superb gym for them to train in.”
The gym, Planet Granite’s first outside of the West Coast, will embrace the spirit we’ve cultivated since opening 22 years ago: we provide a home for new climbers and experts alike. That means our climbing routes, classes, and community cater to climbers of all ages and levels of experience.
At each of our gyms, Planet Granite offers about 50 in-house yoga and fitness classes weekly, which are included with our memberships and day passes. We’re proud to hire experienced yoga and fitness instructors to lead our classes, recognizing that our members are not only climbers—they are athletes, and are passionate about all types of activities.
The Chicago gym situated near the north side of the city will offer:
Four-story facility
Bouldering, top rope, and lead climbing
Full schedule of studio-quality yoga classes
Dedicated room for group fitness classes
Open floor plan fitness space with extensive equipment, including weights and cardio
Comprehensive climbing training areas
Fully stocked gear shop
Spacious locker rooms with additional amenities
Planet Granite Chicago will have about 50% more space than Planet Granite’s largest existing gym in Portland, Oregon.
“There are several good climbing gyms in town and we look forward to working with them to help grow the climbing community,” Lloyd said. “We are also excited for the growth of Planet Granite and the opportunity that this gives our great team.”
The new location will continue a tradition of innovation showcased in our most recent project, our multi-story flagship Portland location, which opened in November 2014 and has been praised in the industry as an example of the next generation of climbing gyms.
Climbing Business Journal is an independent news outlet dedicated to covering the indoor climbing industry. Here you will find the latest coverage of climbing industry news, gym developments, industry best practices, risk management, climbing competitions, youth coaching and routesetting. Have an article idea? CBJ loves to hear from readers like you!