About
World Gym is an American chain of gyms, reportedly the second largest worldwide in 2002 after Gold's Gym. Founded in 1977 by Joe Gold seven years after he sold the Gold's Gym chain, its first location was in Santa Monica, California.
The first World Gym franchise was sold in 1981 in Mentor, Ohio.
Planet Fitness bought World Gym in 2006 for more than $10 million, with both clubs to serve "different types of health club goers" according to Chris Rondeau, CEO of franchising for World Gym.