NORTH SUBURBS
New gym, Kaizen, plans to open 50,000-square-foot facility at Bayshore
Claudia LevensMilwaukee Journal Sentinel
Aug. 27, 2026, 3:34 p.m. CT
One of the Bayshore Mall’s largest and longest vacancies will soon be filled by an expansive new fitness and wellness center
The new gym, called Kaizen, will open in late fall 2026, “bringing a fresh approach to health, fitness, and community” to the 50,000-square-foot facility at 501 W. Northshore Drive, according to an Aug. 27 news release. The facility has been vacant since 2015, when LA Fitness closed
It will include expansive strength and cardio training areas, a yoga studio, a Pilates reformer studio, a group fitness studio, a 90-foot indoor turf training area, two full-size gymnasiums, dedicated pickleball courts, personal training spaces and full locker rooms with dry saunas
It will also have a cafe serving beverages, matcha, tea, smoothies, protein shakes and recovery-focused drinks
Kaizen will offer educational programming focused on fitness, nutrition, recovery and long-term health
The facility is intended to serve customers seeking a gym somewhere between high-volume fitness chains and luxury health clubs, according to the release
The goal is to build a place where people enjoy spending time, building relationships, and investing in their health as much as they enjoy exercising there, the gym’s founders said in the release
“We didn’t set out to build another gym,” co-founder Ryan Poolay wrote. “We wanted to create a place where people feel welcomed the moment they walk through the door. Every detail was thoughtfully selected to create an environment that inspires people to return, connect with others, and continually improve.”
Poolay has operated several gyms throughout his life before and after obtaining a medical degree. He moved to Milwaukee in 2018 and helped open the Milwaukee Athletic Club in 2021. The business’s other co-founder Chad Meier is a chef who runs food and drink operations at the Radio Milwaukee Discourse Coffee in Walker’s Point and previously ran the Meraki restaurant before it closed in 2020
They’ve been working on bringing Kaizen into existence for three years, Poolay said
“The North Shore is an active and growing community, and we saw an opportunity to create something different,” Meier said in the release
The facility was designed in collaboration with TKWA and is being built by Kelly Construction. Equipment and studio partners include True Fitness, Woodway Treadmills, and Les Mills
“From our first introduction to the project, Chad and Ryan’s vision has been rooted in the idea of nurturing a strong sense of community,” TKWA Interior Designer Lisa Stafford said
“Kaizen’s design approach builds upon a mid-century modern sensibility, reinterpreted through a contemporary lens.”
Ahead its opening, Kaizen is hiring personal trainers, fitness professionals, membership advisors, café baristas, instructors for basketball, volleyball and pickleball, as well as league coordinators
Memberships are already available on Kaizen’s website
New member experiences will consist of personal introductions to the facility, including a guided tour and an opportunity to meet with a coach who can help develop a customized fitness plan based on individual goals
The name “Kaizen” comes from the Japanese philosophy meaning “continuous improvement,” according to the release
Contact Claudia Levens at clevens@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X at @levensc13
