Planet Fitness Coming to Staples' Plaza in Stratham

“Area residents might find themselves with fewer excuses for not hitting the gym next year. A new Planet Fitness will be opening next to Staples in the Parkman Brook Shopping Plaza on Portsmouth Avenue if all goes according to plan, said John Craig of the Brand Development Department at Planet Fitness. ‘That strip is an attractive place to be,’ he said. ‘It's been on our radar screen for a long time, but now seems to be the time.’ Stratham in particular is a central location for the region, with access to routes 101, 108 and 33, he said. ‘We've been looking at Stratham for years,’ said Craig. Craig said the lease has not yet been signed, but the deal is progressing smoothly. ‘It's not etched in stone, but we are pretty darn close to finalizing the deal,’ he said. ‘There are some minor things to be worked out.’ If Planet Fitness signs the lease agreement with Northstar, owners of the shopping plaza, the gym will open in January 2010. ‘A lot of work goes into putting one of our clubs together,’ said Craig. The fitness center will take up 17,000 square feet of the left side of the building, which is a typical size for a Planet Fitness. ‘It will look cool like all of our clubs,’ Craig said.”

http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20090612-NEWS-906120358