Beginning February 1, Art Tolis of Tolis Mortgage Financial Group and his wife Heather Tolis, a realtor for HomeSmart, became the new owners of Snap Fitness in Fountain Hills.

According to Art, the purchase of the gym was an effort to diversify their business portfolio and create synergies between financial and physical fitness.

“This is a relationship business and building more relationships with local residents,” Art said, owner of Tolis Mortgage and former Town Council and Four Peaks Rotary member.

Snap Fitness, a subsidiary of Lift Brands, has locations in more than 20 countries. According to its website, the brand takes pride in helping members creating an inclusive, empathetic and supportive approach to fitness.

Snap Fitness in Fountain Hills was first owned by the late Michael DeGroote, son of Mari and Dave DeGroote, who are pleased to pass on the ownership to Art and Heather Tolis after running the gym for 10 years.

“We are extremely grateful for the friendships we have developed and the support we have received over the past decade,” Mari DeGroote said. “The timing was right for us and we’re happy to pass the torch on to Heather and Art. They are going to take Snap Fitness to the next level in Fountain Hills and we will be right here to support them!”

Art says the concept of owning a gym became more conceivable when, in September 2021, he was hospitalized for COVID-19.

“I’ve dramatically changed my own health habits,” he said. “We’re hopeful [that] we’re going to inspire people and that’s what our job is going to be, is help people to be healthy, physically and financially.”

Despite the change in ownership, new and existing gym members can expect the same level of service at Snap Fitness, including personal trainers, fitness on demand, 24/7 gym access and more.

The gym participates in insurance-related fitness programs like SilverSneakers and Renew Active and even offers a private tanning room available for gym patrons at an additional monthly cost.

As Art and Heather complete their onboarding process, they have begun toying with new ideas to implement down the road to make the gym more community friendly, including setting up a few tables outside the gym to allow people to enjoy their Starbucks, which is conveniently located just across the parking lot.

Joining Snap Fitness is a month-to-month fee, meaning members don’t have to sign a contract to join. According to Heather, this feature makes Snap Fitness an attractive place for seasonal visitors who enjoy working out.

“We’re very member-driven. So, we listen to the members and whatever our members want, we try to accommodate as much as possible,” Heather said. “We want to be the face of fitness for Fountain Hills.”

On Thursday, April 13, at 5 p.m., Snap Fitness will host its official Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate the new ownership. The community is invited to attend this event.

“We love this community. This is, I’ve always said, the Beverly Hills of Arizona,” Art said. “We want to have the best, cleanest gym and most welcoming gym…that's going to help people be healthy and to help people mentally and physically.”

Snap Fitness is located at 13525 N. Fountain Hills Blvd. They are open 24/7 to gym members and staffed Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sunday by appointment only. To inquire about a gym membership or for more information about Snap Fitness, visit snapfitness.com/us/gyms/fountain-hills-az/, call 480-837-3901 or email fountainhills@snapfitness.com.