Hy-Vee to launch in-store fitness showrooms

West Des Moines-based Hy-Vee will begin opening fitness equipment showrooms in some of its grocery stores in its eight-state region.

The chain said its Grimes store will be the first location for a Johnson Fitness and Wellness showroom, which will include treadmills, ellipticals and exercise bikes. The showroom opened Tuesday, Sept. 14.

Johnson, headquartered in Cottage Grove, Wisc., is the largest fitness retailer in the United States, a Hy-Vee news release said Wednesday.

It also carries wellness products from Matrix Fitness, Vision Fitness, Horizon Fitness and Synca Wellness, among other brands, the release said.

“This unique opportunity allows customers to get hands-on experience with high-quality, high-value fitness solutions where they already shop every week, and the online kiosk allows for them to easily have the equipment delivered to their home, ” Bob Zande, Johnson president, said in the release.