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Our Story
The idea for Garage Gyms was born during the first Coronavirus shutdown. People started scrambling to find at-home workout equipment as gyms all over the country closed. What we witnessed was people not knowing what to buy, what brands and models were best suited for their fitness needs and goals, and oftentimes overspending on items they didn't need or underspending on cheap equipment that was unsafe and would likely break.
From there, we decided we wanted to help people get the best quality home gym that was tailored to them without the stress of trying to find it, then waiting months for it to arrive, and finally trying to assemble and install it. Believe us, we saw the posts of frustration on Facebook!
So Garage Gyms was born.
The goal was pretty simple: Design and install quality home gyms for people who wanted the convenience of working out without the hassles. We put hours and weeks and months into planning, brainstorming, sourcing partnerships, and creating the Garage Gyms brand.
Today, we serve Northeast Florida including Jacksonville, Amelia Island, and the Beaches. We also have plans to expand into franchises in other cities so more people can get the Garage Gyms workout experience from the comfort of their own homes.
We know a garage gym isn't for everyone. We believe that Garage Gyms is a brand for those who train hard and don't believe in excuses, for those who want their gym their way, and for those taking control of their bodies without worrying about shutdowns, restrictions, commutes, crowds, or distractions. It's essentially a no-b.s. way to work out, and we love that.
Thanks for being a part of this movement.
~ Deborah Dunham & Doug Lane
Deborah Dunham
Co-Founder
Deborah excels at building and creating things. She is a lifelong athlete, accomplished runner, and on a mission to get more people active, healthy, and feeling their best. Deborah has completed 14 marathons including qualifying for the Boston Marathon three times, two half-ironman races, and consistently placed in the top of her field over the course of her career. Deborah is also the founder of two regional nonprofits that have impacted the health, fitness, and lives of thousands of local youth where she oversaw the physical training of more than 3,000 students. She started each organization from scratch and grew them to become the largest in the region and country. Deborah is also a creative designer, photographer, and thinker and knows how to envision and plan a space that will become more than a room with gym equipment -- it will become a place that inspires you to want to spend time there to sweat and work out (and enjoy it!), a place you are proud of, and a place where you will reach your fitness goals.
Doug Lane
Co-Founder
Doug has been building gyms for 24 years. He is well-known in the fitness industry nationwide and has multiple accreditations including being a Starting Strength Coach - formerly traveling with Coach Mark Rippetoe around the nation to teach technical aspects of the patented "Starting Strength" concepts at multiple gyms in Nebraska, New York City, and Florida. Doug has also trained Internationally at multiple gyms including Sittsongpeenong, Rau 67, Thai Olympic Training Center, PK Saenchai-Tokyo, Japan, Guatemalan Olympic Training Center - Guatemala City, and the USA Olympic Training Center - Colorado Springs, CO. Locally he has built multiple gyms and consulted with thousands of clients on their physical training strategies. Doug excels in understanding what is needed for a complete and effective gym space including facility design, customization, and implementation. Doug has an eye for assessing people's current fitness and short- and long-term fitness goals, and devising the best plan to get there safely and effectively.