Alpha Fit Club Eyes 30 Studios by Year-End, Taps PLAE as Equipment Partner

The New Jersey-based strength and conditioning franchise is scaling across the East Coast as it names PLAE its exclusive performance partner for future studios

Alpha Fit Club is pairing rapid franchise growth with a new strategy aimed at keeping the member experience consistent as it expands beyond its New Jersey roots.

The boutique strength and conditioning franchise has entered an exclusive partnership with performance training equipment provider PLAE, which will become the brand’s standard equipment partner for all newly awarded franchise locations.

The announcement comes as Alpha Fit Club accelerates its East Coast expansion. After selling more than two dozen franchise territories over the past year, the company expects to have nearly 30 studios operating by the end of 2026, with another wave of openings planned throughout 2027.

New markets include West Palm Beach, Florida; Fairfield, Connecticut; Philadelphia and Chalfont, Pennsylvania; and Larchmont, New York, where the PLAE partnership will debut before expanding to future franchise locations.

“Growth only matters if the experience improves along with it,” Alpha Fit Club CEO Sam Tooley said. “As we expand into new markets, we’re committed to delivering the same premium training experience in every studio. PLAE shares our belief that the environment plays a critical role in performance, making them the ideal partner as we continue building Alpha Fit Club across the country.”

Unlike a traditional vendor relationship, PLAE will provide a standardized training environment across future Alpha Fit Club studios, supplying integrated performance flooring, racks and strength equipment designed to create a consistent member experience while simplifying development for franchisees.

The move reflects Alpha Fit Club’s ambitions to transition from a regional boutique operator into a national franchise brand.

Founded in Westfield, New Jersey, in 2019, Alpha Fit Club has built its identity around coach-led group workouts blending strength training with high-intensity conditioning. As the company expanded into new markets, Tooley has emphasized that preserving the in-studio experience would be just as important as adding locations.

“We wanted to take that city-inspired boutique energy with the lights low, music bumping, an inspiring yet knowledgeable coach and plug it all into a suburban market,” Tooley previously told Athletech News.

The PLAE partnership is expected to play a role beyond new studio openings. PLAE will serve as the official performance partner of this year’s Alpha Games Main Event, Alpha Fit Club’s annual fitness competition, which sold out earlier this month with 1,800 competitors scheduled to participate at New Jersey’s American Dream on Oct. 3.

For PLAE, whose equipment and athletic flooring solutions are used by professional sports organizations, collegiate programs and premium fitness brands, the partnership represents another foothold in the fast-growing boutique fitness sector.

“At PLAE, our mission is to inspire performance and unlock human potential,” said the brand’s founder and CEO Brett Waits. “Alpha Fit Club has built an incredible community around challenging workouts, exceptional coaching and a commitment to helping people become stronger. We’re proud to support that mission by creating training environments that elevate every workout and member experience.”