COLUMBIA — The gym landscape in the Midlands has seen shifts of late. A set of renovations and openings have hit gyms across Richland and Lexington counties in recent months.
Lexington
Ubiquitous “Judgment Free Zone” Planet Fitness will open a two-story location at the Platt Springs Crossing development in the Red Bank area.
The mixed-use development is being constructed by Mimm’s Contracting and shepherded by real estate firm NAI Columbia. Several updates to the building’s construction have been posted by Mimm’s to social media. The exterior of the building is almost complete and windows have been inserted, according to a Feb. 2 Facebook post.
“This is one of those moments where the building really starts to come to life — natural light, clean lines, and big progress you can see from the road,” the contracting company said in the post. “Our crew is excited to keep things moving and bring this project one step closer to the finish line.”
Announced in 2023, Platt Springs Crossing is a 57-acre mixed-use development on Platt Springs Road and Old Orangeburg Road.
A Lowe’s Foods opened at the development late last year. Businesses already operating there also include a Panda Express, a Whataburger, a Chipotle, Big Blue Marble Academy early childhood center and a Prisma Health urgent care facility.
Columbia
A permit was issued by the City of Columbia on Jan. 20 allowing 1815 Barnwell St. to be renovated into a Hustl Athletic Club. Two permits totaling over $850,000 have been issued so far for the gym, allowing interior demolition and renovations.
The nascent local chain plans two training facilities in Columbia – the athletic club set to open early this year, and a sports performance space on 1124 Shop Rd. opening in March, according to its Instagram.
West Columbia
One change that went somewhat under the radar saw what was once a prolific chain in the Midlands close its last location in the area.
MUV Fitness in the Westside Plaza Shopping Center along U.S. Highway 1 in West Columbia is now Revolution Fitness. The change happened in April 2025.
Onelife Fitness, a different gym chain with locations across the southeast, bought all of the Columbia-area locations of MUV Fitness in 2024 – except the West Columbia location. The other locations — in Forest Acres, Columbiana Drive, Killian Road, Sandhills and North Lake Drive in Lexington — have been converted to Onelife Fitness gyms.
MUV Fitness retains locations in Spokane, Washington and Portland, Oregon.
Revolution Fitness has the one location in West Columbia. It sits across the street from a Planet Fitness that opened in 2024.
