Today we’d like to introduce you to OJ Washington.
Thanks for sharing your story with us OJ. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I took over and bought a gym that was floundering and wasn’t doing so well in August of 2015. I re-branded the gym, changed the name, gave the building a huge renovation/makeover, and bought a bunch of new equipment. I’ve been making subtle changes over the years to get where we are today. We’re steadily climbing and the future is looking bright for Bear Republic.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not. Starting up any small business in the downtown area of any big city presents a host of challenges. The changing and cleaning out of old staff to new staff members was a struggle, along with taking on the deficits the previous owners of the prior gym handed us. We were in a deep hole from the beginning. Climbing out of the red and into the black was a huge milestone for us a couple of years back.
The landscape of Crossfit overall has been changing dramatically over the last two years, so we’ve been adjusting our focus and value proposition to what we offer to the market accordingly.
Bear Republic – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We’re a premier functional fitness and training facility that specializes in Crossfit. I’m most proud of the coaches who ‘bring it’ each and every class they coach. That’s what really makes us special. I’m also proud of how far we’ve come in the last 4 1/2 years. It’s not the easiest of things to run a small business in the state of California.
Our coaching sets us apart from others. My staff and coaches are extremely knowledgeable in their specialties first and foremost, but they really do care about each and every member who walks in our doors. We want to get to know everyone, learn the names, learn about their lives, and help them achieve their fitness goals while having fun in doing so.
I’m also proud of how far we’ve come in the last 4 1/2 years. It’s not the easiest of things to run a small business in the state of California.
Pricing:
- $179 unlimited month to month membership/contract
- $160 unlimited month to month membership/contract (military, LEO, student discount)
- $135 unlimited month to month QuickFit membership/contract
Contact Info:
- Address: 840 G. St.
San Diego, CA 92101 - Website: www.bearrepublic.fit
- Phone: 619 450 4671
- Email: info@bearrepubliccrossfit.com
- Instagram: @bearrepubliccrossfit
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BearRepublicCrossfit/

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