Financing for fitness and personal care
Gyms, salons and spas invest in fit-outs and equipment, and often buy or expand locations.
Key points
- Gyms, salons and spas invest heavily in fit-outs and equipment.
- Membership and repeat revenue give lenders a steady picture.
- Opening a second location is a common reason to borrow.
- Buying an established studio can be faster than building one.
How financing works in fitness and personal care
Fitness, beauty and personal care businesses are built on repeat customers, but getting started takes real investment: fit-outs, equipment, and often months of building a client base. Growing to a second location means doing it all again.
Financing helps you equip your space, open new locations and buy established businesses with clients already in place.
Common financing needs
Here’s how businesses in this industry typically match their needs to the right kind of financing.
| What you need | Usually the best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment and studio fit-outs | Equipment financing | Fitness equipment, salon chairs and treatment equipment financed over their life |
| Open a second location | Term loans | A lump sum for build-out and opening costs |
| Buy an established studio or salon | Business acquisition | Take over a location with clients already booked |
| Cover slower months | Lines of credit | A buffer for seasonal dips |
How NorthMerit can help
Apply once and we’ll connect you with one financing partner who works with businesses like yours. It’s free, and there’s no obligation.
What lenders look at
Lenders look at your monthly revenue, membership or repeat-client numbers, your lease and how long you’ve been operating. Recurring memberships make revenue more predictable, which helps.
For a second location, lenders look at how your first location performs and how quickly it reached break-even.
Other things partners commonly ask about: equipment and studio fit-outs; opening a second location; buying an established studio or salon.
Equipping a new studio
A fitness studio opens a second location, financing $140,000 of equipment and using a $60,000 term loan for the fit-out.
How to prepare
Have 12 months of revenue reports, membership or client numbers, your lease and quotes for equipment and fit-out ready.
Common questions
Is NorthMerit a lender?
Does it cost anything to apply?
Who will contact me?
The right financing, from the right partner.
Apply once. One financing partner who knows businesses like yours. Free, with no obligation.
