Hard Candy Fitness

Hard Candy Fitness
IndustryHealth clubs
Founded2010 (2010)
FounderMadonna, Guy Oseary, Mark Mastrov
Defunct2019
HeadquartersUnited States
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsGyms, Fitness programs, DVD series
DivisionsBerlin, Germany
Mexico City, Mexico
Milan, Italy
Moscow, Russia
Rome, Italy
Santiago, Chile
St. Petersburg, Russia
Sydney, Australia

Hard Candy Fitness was a chain of fitness centres that were a partnership between Madonna, her manager Guy Oseary and Mark Mastrov, the founder and CEO of 24 Hour Fitness. Founded in 2010, the venture had centres in Berlin (8 clubs), Mexico City, Moscow, Rome, Santiago, St. Petersburg, and Sydney. The company's name was a reference to Madonna's 2008 studio album Hard Candy. The German division went into administration in 2016[1] and closed its studios that year. That same year, the location in Toronto was rebranded as Aura Fitness after the initial media attention didn't translate into gym memberships.[2] The only club remaining in operation as of 2019 was in Santiago, Chile,[3] which rebranded as Energy Sport Club in May 2019.[4]

History

Oseary and Madonna during the opening of the Australian branch in 2012.

The fitness clubs were founded in 2010 as a partnership between Madonna, her manager Guy Oseary and New Evolution Ventures (NEV). An initial meeting between Mark Mastrov (the innovator behind 24 Hour Fitness and NEV) and Oseary was held in early in 2008. With Mastrov's partner Jim Rowley of NEV, Craig Pepin-Donat, the Vice President of Marketing and Development, along with Madonna and Oseary, they created the business venture.[5]

The first club opened in Mexico City in November 2010 with Madonna visiting the gym on the 29th for the official launch.[6] Since then the company has opened clubs in Russia, Australia and Chile. In January 2013, it was announced that a sixth fitness club would be opened in Rome, Italy in May.[7] In June 2013, it was announced that a seventh fitness club would be opened in Berlin, Germany in September.[8]

Locations

Opened Closed Region Country City Address
2015 October Rebranded in 2018 Europe Italy Milan Via Parini 1, 20121
2015 October Rebranded in 2018 Europe Italy Milan Via Bronzino 15, 20121
2015 March Europe Germany Fürth Rudolf-Breitscheid-Straße[9]
2014 February closed North America Canada Toronto Aura building, 382 Yonge Street, 4th Floor, Toronto ON, Canada M5B 1S8
2014 January Europe Italy Rome Viale Romania, 22, 00197 Roma
2013 October 2016[10] Europe Germany Berlin Truman Plaza, Clayallee 171 - 177, 14195 (and 7 other locations by late 2014)[9]
2013 August Europe Italy Rome Via Capo D'Africa 5, 00184, HCF Colosseo 06-70490452 HCF Parioli 06-8075577
2012 September Oceania Australia Sydney 48 Druitt Street, Sydney, NSW Australia 2000
2012 July Rebranded in 2019[4] South America Chile Santiago Parque Araucano, Presidente Riesco 5330, Las Condes
2011 December 2017 July[11] Eurasia Russia Moscow B.Kislovskiy per 9
2011 July 2018 July[12] Eurasia Russia St. Petersburg Petrogradskaya nab., 18, 197046
2010 November Rebranded in 2019 North America Mexico Mexico City Bosque de Duraznos No. 47, Col. Bosque de las Lomas. 52457550 y 51

Source:[13]

DVD series

The enterprise launched a DVD series, Addicted to Sweat, in 2012. They feature the exclusive programs created by Madonna and demonstrated by her personal trainer Nicole Winhoffer. The videos were previously available only at the fitness clubs.[14]

The following are included in the Addicted to Sweat series:

  • Volume 1 – Dance: Get Sweat –structured like a dance class, Winhoffer breaks down all steps in this tutorial-style DVD.
  • Volume 2 – Jaw Breaker Towel: Slippery When Wet – a unique, total body conditioning workout that targets every muscle during a short, intense routine that pays special attention to abs, core, arms, chest and back.
  • Volume 3 – Dance: Wet, Wet, Wild – building from Volume 1, featuring more diverse moves that increase the power of the workout.
  • Volume 4 – Jaw Breaker Chair: Dripping Wet – chair and the floor workout aimed at sculpting, toning and tightening the entire body.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Madonna's fitness chain customers in Berlin stung by closure". Irish Times. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  2. ^ Torontoist (2016-04-27). "How Madonna's Toronto Hard Candy Gym Failed". Torontoist. Retrieved 2019-09-16.
  3. ^ Hardcandyfitness.cl. "Horarios". Hard Candy Fitness Chile. Retrieved 2019-09-16.
  4. ^ a b Energy.cl (2019-05-15). "¡Prepárate para un gran cambio! Es tiempo de grandes noticias para Gimnasios Energy". Energy Fitness Clubs. Retrieved 2019-09-16.
  5. ^ "Madonna To Open "Hard Candy" Fitness Centers Around The World". Madonna.com. 2010-10-25. Retrieved 2013-01-01.
  6. ^ Lee, Joyce (2010-10-26). "Madonna to Open "Hard Candy" Gym Chain". CBS News. Retrieved 2010-11-11.
  7. ^ Capiaghi, Alice (2010-10-25). "Madonna fitness in Rome". Vogue Italia. Archived from the original on 2013-04-13. Retrieved 2013-01-02.
  8. ^ Capiaghi, Alice (2013-06-03). "Madonna to Open Hard Candy Fitness in Berlin". Hard Candy Fitness. Archived from the original on 2013-08-02. Retrieved 2013-06-03.
  9. ^ a b "Was Immobilienmakler wirklich tun - Onlineapotheken Vergleich & Sauna | Hardcandy Fitness". 2 January 2021.
  10. ^ Encke, Julia. "Fitnessstudio "Hard Candy": Madonna in falscher Gesellschaft". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). ISSN 0174-4909. Retrieved 2019-09-16.
  11. ^ "Фитнес-клуб Мадонны в Москве закрылся из-за имущественного спора" [Madonna's fitness club in Moscow is closed due to property dispute] (in Russian). TASS. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  12. ^ ""Планета Фитнес" ушла. Спортивные клубы сети вместе с Hard Candy Fitness покинули рынок Петербурга" ["Planet Fitness" is gone. Sports clubs network, including Hard Candy Fitness, has left the St. Petersburg market] (in Russian). Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  13. ^ "Hard Candy Fitness: The Club". Hard Candy Fitness: Official Website. Archived from the original on 2013-01-09. Retrieved 2013-01-01.
  14. ^ "Madonna's Hard Candy Fitness® Launches First Fitness DVD Series: 'Addicted To Sweat'". PR Newswire. 2012-09-05. Retrieved 2013-01-01.