Apex Climbing & Spa
Watkinsville, Georgia
Specs: Apex Climbing & Spa, a mixed-discipline facility under construction in Wire Park in Watkinsville, Georgia, is expected to open in December 2025. Owned and operated by Eileen and Phillip Blume, the planned gym—which will include a full-featured fitness and health spa upon completion—is the result of years of climbing, travel and mentorship. Phillip was introduced to climbing through his mentor, Mike Rivers, in middle school, and Eileen started the sport the summer after she graduated high school through mentors with whom she volunteered. “It became a lifelong thing for both of us through those experiences,” Phillip said. The couple built other businesses throughout the years, including several businesses in the photography and videography industry, and always talked about opening a climbing gym. “Some really cool life experiences led us to finally decide this is going to be reality,” said Phillip. “We’re going to make this happen.”
According to Phillip, “Watkinsville is positioned in a cool way right now that made it the right time to jump into this.” The city, located about an hour east of the Atlanta Airport, has grown quickly in recent years, Phillip explained, with subdivisions, apartment complexes and single-family homes being built. Phillip also stated that the city has one of the top-rated schools in the state, and residents have a lot of disposable income. “A growing number of families are moving in from cities where they are used to having accessibility to all kinds of programs, where there are gyms and competitive teams and things for their kids to do. And then they’re moving to Watkinsville, which has great schools and a great quality of life and beautiful land and all that, but it doesn’t have all of the amenities that they’re used to in the big city,” he said. “And so, we are bringing that and filling that gap.”
It was important to the Blumes that Apex would be surrounded by a live-work-play atmosphere, where people could linger all day. “I would dream about what business partners we could bring together to build something like this,” Phillip recalled. “And it was something beyond my pay grade to develop. But then, just a few years ago, about five years ago, an acquaintance of ours who is a developer developed this amazing live-work-play development in our little rural community,” in Wire Park, a mall in East Watkinsville. “He took an old, dilapidated wire production factory that decades ago had been the economic hub of our town. It was completely abandoned, and he bought it and developed this amazing urban contemporary live-work-play facility with restaurants, boutiques, and co-working space,” he shared. Wire Park has lots of foot traffic, families, and shopping options, Phillip said, “under one giant roof.” On Friday nights, live music is played in a big pavilion on site, and every Saturday morning there is a farmers’ market in the greenspace. Apartments were built in the actual facility, in addition to townhomes and a neighborhood within the grounds. There are restaurants, fitness gyms, and a yoga studio with which Apex will partner. “We’re going to be kind of combining membership options with them, since we love yoga, but we wouldn’t be experienced enough to really run the program,” Phillip said.
Apex is being constructed in a 5,100-square-foot space, which does not include the outdoor and rooftop climbing components. The outdoor common space on the back of the building will have roped climbing on walls reaching 30 feet. The Blumes are still working with the architect to build the climbing towers on the rooftop’s 2,100-square-foot space. In addition to bouldering, top rope, lead and auto belay climbing options, Apex will feature hangboards, cardio and fitness equipment in a mezzanine, and various programming options, including youth programs, summer camps and ASCL events. The gym is also working with Atlanta-based Opo Coffee, a brand with values that align with those of Apex, which Phillip said includes offering high-quality and fair-trade products, following safe practices, paying fair wages, and giving back to the planet, immigrant communities, and charities.
While traveling in Japan, the Blumes discovered onsen, or hot springs, were something that brought them tranquility. “We wanted that: not just the wellness spa, but something that brings a lot of that culture into our lives and into our guests’, our members’ lives,” Phillip said. As such, Apex will have hydrotherapy hot tubs, a cold plunge, infrared saunas, a steam sauna, a vibro-acoustic bed, and massage offerings. Individuals can purchase 24/7 spa and fitness center access, climbing-only memberships, or a combination of both. Memberships, in addition to day passes and merch, are able to be purchased through the gym’s Kickstarter campaign.
Walls: Maverick Climbing
Flooring: Cascade Specialty
CRM Software: GymMaster
Website: www.apexclimbing.life
Instagram: @ApexClimbing.Life
In Their Words: “I think really focusing on programming and community ties is the most important for anyone opening a climbing center, especially if they’re trying to make it more than just climbing for people who already love climbing, but you’re trying to give people a love for climbing because it means so much to their life. It’s not just a sport that they do.” – Phillip Blume, Co-Owner and CEO of Apex Climbing & Spa
