Wellbridge Purchase Inspires Investment in Club Upgrades

DENVER — The Wellbridge family of 20 athletic clubs and spas will all get a facelift over the next two years after the late December purchase of the company by Ed Williams, co-founder and CEO of Wellbridge Co., and Jay Kell, COO.

“We plan to spend some money on updating and renovating the clubs and continue to grow our market share,” says Williams, who will continue in his day-to-day operations of the company along with Kell.

Williams and Kell are principals in Fitness Ventures LLC, which also includes as a principal Central Sports Company of Japan, which operates 157 full service clubs primarily in Tokyo. Wellbridge plans to evaluate the Japanese clubs and bring what makes sense into the U.S. market, but at this point, the company doesn't plan to expand overseas, Williams says.