CCR - Nov/Dec 19

The Barry’s Way

How the cutting edge fitness studio continues to revolutionize the fitness game

By Michael J. Pallerino

“Best workout in the world!” With more than 125,000members visiting a Barry’s studioeach week, how can you notwalk away with that mindset?Founded in Los Angeles in 1998,the genesis behind the Barry’sphenomenon was pretty simple:Get in the best shape of your lifeand have fun doing it.

That’s exactly what the original high-energy, calorie scorching cardio and strength training interval workout did—and still does. Utilizing the most effective combination of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) by incorporating 25-30 minutes of interval-based cardiovascular routines on treadmills with 25-30 minutes of strength training using free weights and resistance bands, the workout is results driven. It pushes participants to their physical and mental limits. How does burning 1,000 calories in a one-hour class grab you?

With more than 67 studios worldwide—including Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, London, England, and Oslo, Norway, Paris, Sydney, Dubai, Singapore, Canada and Mexico City—Barry’s is the kind of cult fitness people love. It also has its own lifestyle brand, featuring a performance and athleisure clothing line and Fuel Bar, and men’s and women’s locker rooms stocked with premium products.

Commercial Construction & Renovation sat down with Jennifer Brown, Senior Director of Studio Design, to get an inside look at the Barry’s brand and how it continues to change the fitness game.

How does the design of your studios cater to what your clients want and demand?

All of our studios are unique. They are designed with the local community in mind.

For example, we bring in local artists to curate one of a kind murals and always use interior signage that will excite and speak to the local community. The premier design of every studio is consistent across the world. Our goal is to create an inclusive yet exclusive environment in which everyone feels welcome.

What new upgrades and/or additions have you had?

With each new studio, we strive to continue to improve the layout of the studio, offer additional premium amenities, and improve the in-studio flow in general. In the locker rooms, we have enhanced the layout to offer sinks, dry bars, showers and a locker area. In the dry bar area, where people dry their hair using Dyson hair dryers and get ready,

The motivation behind our design is to ensure all of our clients have the best experience with the brand. Our entire team is incredibly collaborative and passionate in all of our design efforts.

we use custom light sconces between large mirrors, which offers clients a bright open area to get ready after class. In the locker area, we use premium metal Wilsonart finishes on the face of the lockers and USB ports to charge their phones.

What was the motivation behind the design? Take us through your overall construction and design strategy.

The motivation behind our design is to ensure all of our clients have the best experience with the brand. My design strategy is to listen to clients, trainers and staff, and to take action by implementing new designs with regards to room layout, aesthetic, finishes, signage, etc. Our entire team is incredibly collaborative and passionate in all of our design efforts.

Talk about sustainability. What are you doing?

In 2019, Barry’s partnered with EMA (the Environmental Media Association) in an effort to make all studios greener and more sustainable. In doing so, Barry’s launched a national partnership with JUST WATER, switched to greener cleaning products, installed water fountains with a bottle filler that saves plastic for the environment, and integrated energy saving appliances within out studios.

We also customize the face of each fuel bar and reception desk for each studio, changing the finishes. It is more typical for us to use recycled woods, such as a reclaimed wood, walnut or another sustainable material as one of our main choices.

For a recent studio we opened in Charlotte, we used a recycled rusted milk crate woven from wired mesh steel to create signage within the studio. We like to always think outside of the box to use recycled materials. We also are always striving to use greener, LED lighting and bulbs within our studios to save energy.

What do you see as some of your biggest opportunities moving ahead? Are you optimistic about what you see out there?

Barry’s is expanding rapidly (both domestically and internationally). Our expansion gives us an opportunity to continue to evolve our designs and to elevate our overall in-studio experience.

What trends are you seeing today?

Barry’s is so much more than a workout; it’s a lifestyle. Now more than ever, people are looking for a place to workout and to hangout with like-minded individuals. They’re also looking to document their experience and post on social media, so we take into account potential “photo moments” when designing our studios.

Describe a typical day.

One of the things I love the most about Barry’s is that there is no “typical day.” Each day is completely different, and brings new opportunities and challenges. I’m continuously looking to innovate our designs and I encourage my team to do the same.

A typical day involves speaking with my architects by phone in the mornings before I come to work or on my way to work, as well as answering some of my higher priority emails. I have architects in three different time zones, so I like to touch base with them before I start the day to make sure they have everything they need to be successful.

Once I arrive to work, I continue to respond to emails, communicate with my designers on any work they need to do for the day, and work on a combination of things between phone calls and meetings throughout the day. I have numerous meetings throughout the day to collaborate both with internal team members on all components of the studios and timelines, as well as external consultants and construction teams. . CCR

One-on-one with...

Jennifer Brown

Senior Director of Studio Design, Barry’s

What’s the most rewarding part of your job? The most rewarding part of my job is seeing clients faces when they walk into the studio on opening day and talking to them about their favorite part of the studio.

What was the best advice you ever received? The best business advice I’ve ever received is to stay true to myself and not to be afraid to stand up for what I believe in. I’m a firm believer that collaboration of everyone’s ideas makes for the most optimal design.

What’s the best thing a client ever said to you? How much they loved the design of our Venice studio. That was one of the first projects I worked on at Barry’s, so to see the studio flourish as not only a place to workout, but as a place to spend time with friends is incredible. It is what we strive to achieve with all new studios.

Name the three strongest traits any leader should have and why.

The three strongest traits a leader should have are being humble, being honest and having a high level of emotional intelligence. By being humble, you are able to identify your own strengths and weaknesses. That way you can add value and ensure you’re supporting the overall success of your team. In my opinion, the best leaders will allow those who work under them to take action and will guide them to ensure they reach their full potential.

Another strong trait of a good leader is honesty. Being honest in your communications is imperative in leading a successful and loyal team. Part of being honest is admitting when you are wrong or have made a mistake. Nobody is perfect. Everyone is a work in progress, including myself. I pride myself on admitting my faults, my errors and my weaknesses, but work hard to improve upon them and grow from

them. Another important trait is emotional intelligence. Being able to read a room, understand the emotions of your fellow employees and offer compassion to others when they need it creates strong teams.

As a leader, I try to work hard to form bonds with my team members, offer guidance to the employees who report to me and offer compassion in situations when it is needed. I believe that if you create an environment for your team members that feels safe and positive, the output of the work for everyone will be so much more successful.

What is the true key to success for any manager? There are multiple keys to success: to be aware of your strengths and weaknesses, to be a good listener and to offer the time needed to develop and support your team. When hiring employees, I always look for people who have skill sets that compliment my strengths and weaknesses, to ensure we have a well-balanced team. When my team members shine, I shine, so I try to empower them to take chances, make mistakes and create an environment where they feel safe to express their ideas. I love interacting with my team and learning about what inspires them, what they enjoy the most about their jobs, and what their biggest challenges are so I can help grow and develop them to be the best designers they can be.

How do you like to spend your down time? I love spending my down time exploring. I travel a lot with friends and family throughout the world. I enjoy discovering new cultures, seeing architecture throughout the world and having new experiences. I love music and dancing. I live in California, so I like to spend my free time at the beach swimming in the ocean, listening to music and enjoying nature. I feel inspired by the environment around me all the time and the people I encounter on my journey.