Carbon Performance Opens Luxury Gym in Charlotte, Plots Nationwide Expansion

Four clubs down, a fifth by year-end and three a year after that, Carbon Performance is pairing an upscale experience with serious training

Carbon Performance is done being just a Southeast story.

The upscale performance gym is using its Charlotte, North Carolina, opening as the launch point for a national push, with plans to enter the Midwest and Southwest within the next year.

The Charlotte club, set to open later this summer at 3325 S. Tryon Street, marks Carbon’s fourth location and its largest footprint to date, at more than 43,000 square feet in the city’s Lower South End. 

Founded in 2020 in Franklin, Tennessee, the brand currently operates two Tennessee clubs and an Atlanta location.

“We are scheduled to open one additional location before the end of this year and anticipate expanding at a pace of approximately three new locations per year over the next three to five years,” Carbon Performance founder Brent Laffey said. 

The gym chain is pursuing growth without franchising, Laffey said, adding that Carbon is a corporate-owned company and plans to remain that way.

Carbon has used feedback from its existing Tennessee and Georgia clubs to shape what Charlotte members will walk into. Laffey said the new location includes expanded recovery amenities and strength training equipment.

Two additions stand out: Carbon’s Charlotte gym will feature a dedicated women’s training area and a fully built-out reformer Pilates studio, an upgrade from the mat-only Pilates programming Carbon has offered to date.

There’s also an expanded free-weight area, a functional training zone, more than 40 cardio machines, group fitness offerings, personal training, nutrition coaching, a recovery lounge with a cold plunge, an infrared sauna, red light therapy and compression systems, an on-site nutrition bar and a retail and supplement store.

A “We Work Lounge” offers members a private workspace and access to a fully stocked fridge with complimentary water, as well as multiple workstations and lounge seating.

The sweat-and-linger model lands at a moment when consumer expectations have shifted in ways Laffey says have shaped how the brand builds. When what is different about the fitness consumer today versus when Carbon opened its first location in 2020, he pointed to a broader definition of fitness and a deeper pull toward community.

“Today’s consumer is increasingly focused on overall health and wellness, emphasizing strength training, recovery and nutrition,” Laffey said. “In addition to the physical benefits, consumers are also seeking meaningful social connections and a sense of community. They want to be part of a brand that brings together like-minded individuals who share similar health, fitness and lifestyle goals.”

Carbon Performance offers four memberships billed biweekly.

The entry-level Performance tier runs $54.99 biweekly and covers main-facility access and unlimited group classes. The Elite tier at $99.99 adds the recovery lounge, women’s only area and a 25% pro shop discount. Edge, at $124.99, offers unlimited Hyrox, Element 6 and run classes plus access to the dedicated Edge training room. The top Platinum tier at $134.99 adds reformer Pilates.