Gold's Gym Signs Deal to Open 15 Locations Across Los Angeles and Orange County

Gold's Gym has signed a franchise agreement with Roknipour Investment Group, a Valencia-based commercial real estate and multi-unit franchise operator, to open 15 gyms across Los Angeles and Orange counties. Eight locations are planned for LA County and seven for Orange County. The first is expected to open within roughly 12 months, and the full build-out is targeted over seven years.

Gold's Gym was founded in Venice in 1965 and became one of the most recognizable fitness brands in the world, closely tied to the bodybuilding and strength culture that grew up along the Southern California coast. The Dallas-based company now operates more than 500 locations globally under Germany-based RSG Group, which acquired the brand for about $100 million in August 2020 following a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing that May. CEO Brad Reynolds described Southern California as "the biggest fitness market in the world" and called the rebuild there a priority.

The new locations will run between 25,000 and 30,000 square feet, smaller than the Venice flagship's roughly 40,000 square feet plus outdoor space. Reynolds said the layout will shift toward strength and performance, with more floor space dedicated to weight-training equipment and less to group fitness classes. Matt Roknipour described the target feel as more premium than the Gold's gyms most Southern Californians remember.

West Los Angeles is among the areas the partners are targeting for early sites. Roknipour said he wants locations with good street visibility and within a five- to ten-minute drive for members, though he acknowledged that LA's real estate market will require flexibility on building type. Both standalone buildings and in-line retail are on the table.

Membership pricing for the new locations has not been announced. Presales and specific site information are expected once locations are confirmed.

Roknipour Investment Group is co-founded and co-run by brothers Matt and Tyler Roknipour. The firm's existing portfolio includes 24 Jiffy Lube locations and two Jersey Mike's, with two more Jersey Mike's in development, alongside ground-up construction and tenant improvement projects across automotive, restaurant, self-storage and car wash sectors. Matt Roknipour said the firm had been evaluating several fitness brands before the Gold's opportunity emerged, citing the durability of gym memberships during economic downturns as a key factor in the decision.

The previous Southern California franchisee held the regional rights for about 36 years before selling out in fall 2025, a move that stripped the brand down to its single company-owned Venice location in the region. Reynolds said Gold's Gym began searching for a new operator after that exit. The agreement with Roknipour Investment Group represents what Reynolds called the first step in a continued Southern California expansion, with most of the brand's future growth expected to come through franchising rather than corporate-owned units.

Lifters and gym members across LA and Orange County who lost access to Gold's when the previous franchisee exited now have confirmation that real locations are coming, even if addresses aren't set yet. The strength-focused floor plan is a departure from the group-class-heavy model many mid-market gyms have committed to, which could appeal to members who want more floor space and equipment over a packed studio schedule.