Why Your Local Gold Gym May Be Getting a New Name

Gold’s Gym, a decades-old fitness brand with a cult following and roots in Venice Beach, is letting all its stores around Southern California be taken over by Eōs Fitness.

The gym’s longtime SoCal franchisees, brothers Angel and Willie Banos, sold more than 20 locations to Dallas-based Eōs. Gold’s will retain ownership of the original Venice Beach Gold’s Gym, which opened in 1965 and is known to some as the “Mecca of Bodybuilding.”

Founder Joe Gold opened the Venus location with a focus on strength and conditioning, work ethic and lifestyle. The gym has attracted bodybuilders such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno.

The brand has hundreds of other franchised locations in the United States and around the world, including in Italy and Mexico.

This measure is not a rejection of California. This allows China to open up to new franchises in the region, the company said in a news release.

“Gold’s Gym has always been a leader in health and fitness, and this decision marks a major step forward for the brand, our franchisees and our members,” co-CEO Danny Wagoner said in the release. “We’re pushing the brand into a new era while staying true to our heritage.”

In an email sent to members, Goldsmith Jim Sokal said the move to sell “was not a decision we made lightly,” the WeHo Times reported.

Eōs Fitness CEO Rich Dringberg spent more than a decade with Gold’s Gym early in his career, the email noted.

Eōs Fitness operates more than 200 locations nationwide under the motto “Best Gym. Best Price.” The acquisition of Gold’s Gym will make Southern California the largest market for Eōs, where the brand plans to have 50 locations by the end of the year.

“While this acquisition accelerates our expansion in a very competitive real estate market, we are especially grateful to Angel and Willie Banos for their vision and passion in building these gyms,” Dringberg said in a company statement.

New Eōs locations will include Beverly Center, Hollywood, Long Beach and Santa Barbara. Eōs announced in an email to members that the transition took effect on October 29 and will not interfere with gym access.

Gold’s Gym was acquired by fitness company RSG Group in 2020. It costs $1.7 million to $4.3 million and includes a franchise fee to own a 25,000-square-foot gold location.