Gold's Gym franchisees sell SoCal locations

Gold’s Gym, a decades-old fitness brand with a cult following and roots in Venice Beach, is allowing almost all of its Southern California outlets to be taken over by EoS Fitness.

- BY CAROLINE PETROW-COHEN

MEMBERS work out at Gold's Gym. Some Southern California locations will be taken over by EOS Fitness.

(CHRISTINA HOUSE Los Angeles Times)

The gym’s longtime So-Cal franchisees, brothers Angel and Willy Banos, sold more than 20 locations to Dallas-based EoS. Gold’s will retain ownership of the original Venice Beach Gold’s Gym, which opened in 1965 and is known to some as “the mecca of bodybuilding.”

Founder Joe Gold opened the Venice location with a focus on strength and conditioning, work ethic and lifestyle. The gym has attracted bodybuilding greats such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno.