By Cathy Miller

It’s been a few months of uncertainty for local business owners. Since March, Gibsons Fitness Center, in Washington, has shared their COVID-induced trials and tribulations (mandated closing, major renovations, projected reopening, and a rosy rebound) via Facebook.

Kevin Hopkins, Gibsons’ owner, a Washington native, grew up here and currently resides in Franklin Township. He attended Warren Hills High School but didn’t participate any sports. Instead he hunted, fished, farmed, and began working out at Gibson’s Gym (then spelled with an apostrophe) in 1987.

Kevin attended Rutgers College of Pharmacy, focusing on the pharmaceutical side of nutrition and health, snagging some chemistry, microbiology, and biochemistry along the way. He took up bodybuilding while at Rutgers, competing recreationally, and retiring at 30 years old when his first son was born.

While in college, Kevin was employed by Warren County Pharmacy, working in nutrition and calling on doctors. He opened Medicine Man Holistic Health Center in New Village immediately after graduation. Three years later, he returned to the pharmacy, bringing Medicine Man with him.

Bill Gibson, the gym’s founder/owner, approached Kevin with the idea of purchasing his business.

In 1999, as purchasing the gym became a reality, Kevin relocated Medicine Man to Gibson’s. Mike Politano, Gibsons Fitness Center’s current general manager, also worked at the pharmacy and followed Kevin to run Medicine Man. Kevin designed nutritional supplements at MHP in Cedar Grove, part-time, foregoing a salary from the gym. In 2004, he co-authored a book on Macrobolic Nutrition, priming the body to build muscle and burn fat.

Over four decades ago, there was a bakery next door to Gibsons Gym, ultimately unoccupied and used for storage. Kevin explained, “We bought the bakery, incorporated it into the original building to gain space, added air conditioning, and redid everything, working closely with Bill on the renovations and finally purchased Gibson’s Gym in 2000.”

Gibson’s Gym turned Gibsons Fitness Center has been at the same location for 44 years; Kevin has owned it for the past 20 years.

“Fitness centers have evolved over time,” Kevin mused. “In the ‘80s and early ‘90s, your clientele was mostly men, white-collar and blue-collar guys working side-by-side. In the early days, membership was about 90 percent male and 10 percent female. Currently, it’s about 52 percent female and 48 percent male. Back then, it was mostly young guys, 50 and under. Now more than 50 percent of our member base is 50 and over.”

He continued, “Physicians regularly recommend exercise to their patients. Gibsons’ environment is unique in that you can have an 85-year-old working out next to a 20-year-old – an athlete training to power lift next to someone working out to avoid osteoporosis!”

Due to the diversity of the gym’s clientele and goals, Kevin explained the name change. “The business was known as Gibson’s Gym in the beginning, named after the founder, Bill Gibson. About five years ago, I changed the name to Gibsons Fitness Center, to soften it a bit.”

Years ago, Kevin received a piece of advice from a very good friend in the fitness trade. He recalled, “When I first bought Gibson’s Gym I did everything. My friend made it very clear: ‘if you’re ever going to grow and be successful you need to learn how to work ON your business, not IN your business.’ You need to be working in the background and placing the right people in the right positions. Stop trying to wear so many hats! To this day, we have unbelievable staff, there are no weak links. They’re all good at what they do in positions that they were made to do. No one is performing a role that’s uncomfortable or ill-suited. My job is to make sure our staff is competent, happy and respectful.”

Gibsons’ members number around 2,800 and they continue to reap the benefits of that long-ago shared advice.

Kevin explained, “You’ve got to keep pace with changes in your industry. Gibsons has been here 44 years because we’ve been able to adapt and stay one step ahead. For one, we take pride in the fact that we update our equipment quicker than most places – it’s almost detrimental to us financially!”

For example, during a recent renovation, they bought new stepmills based on demand, each of which cost $11,000! The renovation also included cosmetics, new lighting, and an HVAC system, equaling more than $350,000 – plus more to meet coronavirus compliance!

It would cost even more if much of the remodeling wasn’t done by Kevin and his friends.

The parking lot behind the gym was built by Gibsons on property that stood vacant for two years. Kevin detailed, “We bought the land from the town, demolished everything and then built the lot. We agreed to deed it as ‘open to public parking.’ We own the lot, pay taxes on it, maintain it, and allow public parking as a service to our community. We’ve provided convenient free parking for our members and the downtown, but in so doing, freed up many on-street parking spaces for businesses that need short-term parking.” Plus, Kevin added happily, “Our facilities are much more impressive from the back than the front!”

“When I bought Gibson’s Gym I was very lucky to be given a loan by Fulton Bank. They told me to make sure this place was a pillar in the community. We watch out for the community,” Kevin recalled. “Nothing we do is for the recognition. We look at it as something for the greater good.”

Kevin quietly added, “There’s a lot we do behind the scenes. We’re very fortunate to be in a position to be able to help.”

Some of those ways include setting aside venison he has hunted to donate to local families, delivering groceries and picking up prescriptions for the fitness center’s senior members during lockdown, and helping other local businesses file for government assistance.

Kevin understands the importance of having the right people in the right places. “General manager Mike Politano runs the front, membership and member management,” he began. “Between Mike, the training staff, the sales staff, and the cleaning crew, I don’t need to micromanage the people in here, so I can look at the business as a whole. I do my best thinking outside the gym – even on vacation. I can relay ideas and the staff gets things done. They can contact me with suggestions, too.

“The day-to-day things, that’s staff. They’re quick to point out things to improve the member experience.” Kevin added gratefully, “My brain needs to be on future operations, and with the staff that I have, I can do that.”

Years ago Kevin struggled with his friend’s advice to work ON his business, not IN his business. He remembers, “We all wore several hats at Gibson’s. After hiring a consulting company around 2009, we changed everything. We departmentalized the business, and once I stopped being a control freak, the growth happened. You need to create guidelines and let staff roll them out. Often the guidelines are written in pencil because they’re going to be erased and changed repeatedly as staff and members offer input.”

The music heard in the gym is a playlist based on member requests and staff input. “Unless it’s completely delusional, that request gets added to our playlist,” Kevin laughed. “Something as simple as a song – you’re in here, you’re having a crappy day, and all of a sudden you hear your song! It makes you happy.”

When it reopens, Gibsons will operate 24/7, if permitted. The entrance will be in the back. “When they return,” Kevin said, “I want our members to enter a ‘new’ facility. The biggest thing they’ll notice is the new equipment, the new look, and the new spacing.

“The equipment count hasn’t gone down but equipment upgrades have resulted in a smaller footprint, giving the appearance of the gym being more open. The old light fixtures were replaced by sleek LED lighting. HVAC equipment now incorporates high-tech sanitizing and special filtration units. There are PVC and vinyl partitions between all cardio equipment. Sanitary stations with sprays and wipes, gloves, hand sanitizer and trash receptacles abound. Trainers will wear face shields when working with their clients. Everything we can implement in Gibsons Fitness Center, even if it’s considered overkill, is justified if it gives our members peace of mind.” Everything they’ve done has been what they felt necessary to encourage members to comfortably return and safely work out.

“We recently created our complimentary outside workout area after Governor Murphy approved outdoor fitness for groups of 25 or less. With 24 separate stations, each under a 10’ by 10’ canopy, with a 5’ gap between, in a fenced-in area of the parking lot,” Kevin said. This will be a great opportunity for members to jumpstart their fitness program before the gym can reopen. For those not ready to come back inside, there’s fresh air and lots of social distancing! This special area is open to members only, will operate during daylight hours, and be locked overnight. It’s projected to continue ‘until the bad weather flies,’ probably around October.

For anyone concerned about the facility’s maximum occupancy, Kevin explained, “Our fire code is 200 people. If we’re told to limit to 50%, we’ll be allowed 100 members inside at a time. It’s rare when that happens.” Once given the official go-ahead, Gibsons Fitness Center will reopen stronger than ever.

With his knowledge of the area and sharp business sense, clearly Kevin Hopkins has had a tremendous impact on the revitalization of Washington. What does he see for Washington’s future?

“Pre-COVID, Washington was heading in a positive direction and about to enter a serious upswing. Great ideas were coming down the pike that would have created a lot of foot traffic in the downtown. Many business owners have contacted us about what we did with the Honor Yoga and Field House buildings, so I think there’s a lot of interest in façade improvements. We demonstrated that it can be done economically – a few thousand dollars, instead of tens of thousands of dollars.

“This is the best time ever to start a business. Money is cheaper to borrow than it’s ever been. Landlords are eager and properties are reasonable. It’s the perfect storm in the business community. Even though people are nervous about COVID, consumer confidence is extremely high, they want to spend money right now. This fall is going to be a great time for Washington and any small downtown. Washington will bounce back.”

Words of advice: “If you’re thinking about opening a business, you need to know your demographics. Don’t start a business in an area that doesn’t need it. Determine if your base lives within a five-mile range of the area. The biggest failure with anyone opening a business that doesn’t succeed is cash flow. When you open, you need enough money to be able to last at least six months and enough additional money to market your business. Advertising is expensive but it’s a necessary evil. A lot of people have great ideas, they just don’t know how to execute them.”

What do you think Washington could use right now?

“Washington really needs a big draw, a home run,” Kevin replied, without hesitation.

Gibsons Fitness Center
75 East Washington Avenue, Washington, NJ 07882
Phone: 908-689-9733
Website: gibsonsgym.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gibsonsfitness/