Life Time Expands into Seattle Market, Acquires Six Massage Retreat & Spa Locations

Life Time, Chanhassen, Minnesota, has moved into the Pacific Northwest and made a purchase in the massage and spa market, the company announced.

In April, Life Time opened its first club in the Pacific Northwest in the Seattle suburb of Bellevue, Washington. Life Time Athletic Bellevue held a grand opening celebration on April 12, featuring tours, food, demonstrations and entertainment, the company said in a media release. The club opened to the public on April 13. The multi-purpose facility features cycling, Pilates, yoga and barre classes in addition to its LifeCafe and LifeSpa services.

 

Life Time also recently acquired Massage Retreat & Spa's six locations in Minnesota for an undisclosed amount. The Plymouth-based brand was founded by former Life Time employee Lee Oberg.

The six locations are in Eden Prairie, Edina, Plymouth (the flagship club), Savage, Shoreview and Woodbury. An additional franchised location is in Maple Grove.

"We saw an opportunity to further extend our spa business and massage services, specifically, right here in our home (and largest) market by adding these Massage Retreat & Spa locations to our overall portfolio of destinations, brands, products and services," a Life Time spokesperson told the Star Tribune.

All six Massage Retreat & Spa locations will continue to operate under their original name and branding as a separate entity under the Life Time corporate umbrella, according to the Tribune. (The business will not overlap with Life Time's LifeSpa-branded services.) Oberg is expected to remain with the company, as well as its 130 employees who will go through a re-hiring process and background check.

Oberg had once planned to grow Massage Retreat & Spa by developing more franchise locations, the Tribune reported, but this never came to fruition. The company's registration as a franchisor with the Minnesota Department of Commerce was cancelled in 2017 after it did not file a mandatory annual report.

Life Time Fitness ranked No. 2 on Club Industry's Top 100 Health Clubs of 2017 list with $1.475 billion in 2016 revenue.