On April 29th, Governor DeSantis announced his three-phase plan to reopen Florida by gradually allowing businesses to open their doors. Included in Phase 1 (starting May 4) were:

- Restaurants are able able to operate at 25% capacity & offer outdoor seating
- Retail stores can operate at 25% indoor capacity



But unfortunately gyms & personal training studios will stay closed, as they have been over a month.

Longwood, Florida-based company Buy & Sell Fitness has noticed an over 300% increase in the demand for home gym equipment since fitness centers shut their doors due the the coronavirus. “I’ve never seen anything like this!” says co-owner Michael Feliu. Fitness equipment is the new toilet paper – it is sold out everywhere. The big box stores and online retailers like Amazon have dumbbells, bars, kettlebells and plates back-ordered for up to eight weeks."



“I started Buy & Sell Fitness 10 years ago selling out of my living room in Casselberry,” continues Feliu. “When it comes to finding gym equipment to sell to our customers to meet the increased demand – we have a huge advantage over other retailers since we sell both new and used.” Buy & Sell Fitness liquidates used fitness equipment from from private and franchise gyms and transports the equipment back to their warehouse in Longwood, Florida, for resale. They are also vendors for new equipment and carry a line of their own called Core1.

During the coronavirus pandemic they have closed their warehouse to the public to adhere to social distancing guidelines but launched a website just for home users – www.HomeGymOrlando.com. They are currently offering online orders and a drivethru contactless curbside pickup – and yes, they still have equipment in stock and arriving weekly.

Buy & Sell Fitness normally generates the majority of its revenue selling in bulk to commercial fitness centers, hotels and the multi-family residential market, and exporting fitness equipment to gyms worldwide. Since gyms have been closed, they have shifted the majority of their focus to the residential market temporarily.

Co-owner Oliver Leith says, “Gyms are having a tough time right now with a drastic (some gyms almost to zero) revenue decrease. Many of these gyms are just family-owned businesses trying to get make ends meet like all of us. These are your friends and your neighbors that live in and support other local business in the community. I look forward to the day gyms can safely open again.”