Stephanie Mansfield is bringing the vibe of an upmarket Sydney gym to the perfect location in the heart of Howick.
The longtime Howick local and former Miss Howick pageant contestant is the owner and manager of the brand new Flex Fitness gym, with her business partner Ian Charlton, being built at 180 Wellington Street.
It will operate 24/7 and will open in late March.
The business represents her dream to establish a world-class fitness centre in her local community.
She’s fizzing with enthusiasm and excitement as the project comes to fruition.
“I’ve got a lot of history with Howick and it’s very important to me to bring a health club facility to Howick for this community,” Stephanie says.
“I’m very passionate about the people here. I lived in Sydney for a while and over there it’s a different experience when you go to a gym. It’s not just ‘get in and get out’. It’s an experience, an atmosphere, a vibe.
“I loved it. You make friends, you build a life, it’s a lifestyle.”
When Stephanie returned to Howick after living in Sydney, she looked around for a gym to join and was disappointed at the options available.
There was nothing that provided exactly what she wanted, so she and Ian decided to build it themselves as part of New Zealand owned gym franchise, Flex Fitness.
From the beginning Ian and Stephanie agreed that if they were going to do it, they were going to do it right.
Members will enter the gym’s first floor via the front stairs.
The reception will feature LED lighting, a stone-top bench, supplements and merchandise available to buy and a shake bar where members can order protein shakes or post-workout smoothies from a deliciously-crafted menu.
Frozen meals will also be available for purchase and members can heat them up in their own kitchen and eat them in the chill-out area complete with a two-tier bar leaner, bar stools and device-chargers.
It’s an area where people can work or just sit and relax.
Moving past reception is state-of-the-art Technogym cardio gear, free weights, and pin-loaded machines in front of backlit LED mirrors.
“It’s just amazing stuff that most people haven’t seen before” Stephanie says.
Cardio machines will allow users to access their Netflix account as well as a virtual trainer, everyone will have access to the MyFlex fitness app and every member will get their first body scan free.
The bathrooms are equally impressive, and there’s even a self-watering sauna. Each bathroom has a toilet and vanity, a rain-dumper shower and slider, body wash and shampoo pumps, LED mirrors and its own GHD hair straightener and hairdryer.
“People spend money to get fit and they want to enjoy doing it in a really nice space,” Stephanie says.
Downstairs is Skill Athletic, which is high-energy group fitness classes where people wear heart rate monitors, track their calories burned, are guided by the group coach and transition through the workout being displayed on a 100 inch projector.
“It’s athletic-based performance,” Stephanie explains.
Also downstairs is a large weights area with Olympic squat racks, plate loaded machines, a functional training space and two boxing bags.
Stephanie says off-street car parking has been increased to accommodate 20 vehicles and will be well lit at night for safety.
Limited memberships will be available to purchase in February ahead of the club opening in late March. Stephanie says pricing will be competitive for the quality of the experience offered when compared to other gyms in the area: “It’s a lifestyle club, it’s a health club, it’s a home away from home.”
FLEX FITNESS HOWICK – OPENING MARCH
howick@flexfitnessgym.co.nz
180 Wellington Street, Howick
