Müv Fitness, a Spokane-based exercise club chain, has leased a long-vacant, former Albertsons grocery store building on Spokane’s South Hill, says Chris Bell, managing broker of Spokane-based commercial real estate brokerage NAI Black.

“This is a big deal,” Bell says. “It shows that despite the headwinds in the economy, we’re still seeing activity from retailers who want to expand.”

Müv Fitness will occupy the entire 39,000-square-foot building, which is on a 2.5-acre parcel of land near the southwest corner of 37th Avenue and Grand Boulevard, after an extensive tenant improvement project that will begin soon, Bell says.

“They’re going to retrofit it into a first-class exercise facility,” he says. “It’s going to take a little bit of work to do.”

A representative of Müv Fitness couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

Permit applications for tenant improvements have not yet been filed with the city of Spokane.

The building was first built in 1990 and remodeled in 1999, according to Spokane County Assessor’s records. 

It has been vacant since February 2017, Bell adds.

He says in the six years the building has been vacant, a variety of industries showed interest in the space for office use, retail use, and supportive services, but those weren’t a good fit for the neighborhood.

“We’ve worked with neighbors to get their input to try to find a use that was desirable,” he says.

Bell declines to disclose the terms of the lease.

The new lease comes about three months after the company closed its fitness center in downtown Spokane, at 808 W. Main. 

It’s unclear whether the Müv Fitness plans to relocate its current South Hill facility, located at 5501 S. Regal, about 2.5 miles southeast of the old Albertsons space.

Müv Fitness also operates fitness centers in North Spokane, at 603 E. Holland, and in Spokane Valley, at 14927 E. Sprague.

Services include aerobics classes, personal trainers, fitness classes, cardiovascular equipment, and weights, according to the Journal’s 2021 Public Exercise Clubs list.