Barry’s Expands Internationally, Brings Cycling Class to LA
The iconic HIIT brand is soon coming to Spain and several other countries. Domestic growth is on the cards, too
Barry’s is already making good on its big plans for 2024, with the iconic HIIT brand expanding its Ride x Lift class format to its flagship location in West Hollywood and opening new domestic and global locations, including in Barcelona, Bahrain and Kuwait.
Previously exclusive to Barry’s Chelsea location in New York City, Ride x Lift swaps the brand’s signature treadmill for an indoor cycling bike, combining strength training with lower-impact cardio. After an enthusiastic response from members during the 2020 pop-up held in LA and at the New York studio, Ride x Lift is now a permanent fixture in Los Angeles.
“Barry’s Ride is perfect for the user who prefers low-impact cardio combined with the true strength training programming for which we are known. Our vision statement is to ‘transform lives worldwide’ and we believe that broadening our offering to be more inclusive helps us achieve this objective on a larger scale,” Joey Gonzalez, Barry’s Global CEO, told Athletech News. “Since our first Ride pop-ups in early 2020, to the launch of our first permanent studio (class) in Chelsea NYC in the fall of 2022, the demand for Ride has grown on an international level, and our plans for expansion this year include cities in the U.S. and overseas.”
Targeting New Members
The Ride x Lift class is 50 minutes, similar to other Barry’s offerings, and has over 15 bikes and floor setups. The band’s West Hollywood flagship location includes a Fuel Bar, upgraded amenities and retail options.
“Ride has expanded our ‘welcome mat’ to a whole new audience. Some people who are afraid to run have joined our community; running intensely can put stress on the body, cycling is low impact and is less of a barrier to entry,” Charlie Meredith, Ride chief curriculum lead, told ATN. “Lastly, Ride is a really fun time. We ride to the beat of the music, something we don’t get to do in the tread class. It’s a vibe, but still kicks your ass.”
The Ride x Lift classes are slated to begin in early February, and class prices begin at $34, with introductory offers like the Ride Start 3-Pack for $65. Barry’s could bring Ride x Life to new locations in 2024.
“Without the constraints of treadmills, modalities like Ride and Lift open up the doors to a lot of different opportunities to connect with our community in non-traditional locations,” Gonzalez said. “We’re exploring additional locations for pop-ups for 2024.”
International & Domestic Expansion
Barry’s 2024 expansion plans are also just getting started, with new international and domestic locations planned this year. Barry’s recently announced that it will be opening its newest global studio location in Barcelona, with a planned opening of April 2024. That’s the first of a five-studio agreement for Iberia with the company’s partners, who are also evaluating viable studio spaces in Madrid and Lisbon.
The news comes soon after Barry’s announced additional studio locations in Israel, Bahrain and Egypt. The first Bahrain studio opened in the Al-Liwan Mall this month and in Israel, the first studio will open in Tel Aviv. The brand is also developing new territories in the Middle East, including the UAE, which has three operating studios, Qatar, which is currently operating one, Kuwait, and Lebanon.
Barry’s currently operates 84 studios across 14 countries. Other international locations include London, Norway, Milan, Singapore, and more. Additional U.S. locations are also planned for later this year, including Scottsdale, Arizona, and Santa Monica, Newport Beach and Studio City in the LA market, among others.
Scottsdale, a town of around 241,000 near Phoenix, could be demonstrative of Barry’s plans to expand into smaller cities. The brand experienced a significant increase in revenue in 2023, which positions it well for new locations coming out of the pandemic.
“Based on the whitespace proof we have in the market now, I could see us reaching 200 U.S. locations in the next five years or so,” Gonzalez told ATN last summer.
This article has been updated.