Jun 23 2010
SOKO Fitness & Spa Group, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: SOKF) ("SOKO" or "the Company"), an operator of fitness centers, beauty salons and spas in Northeast China as well as suburban Beijing, today announced the opening of its two newest facilities, Daoli Fitness and Legend Spa Central Club. Both centers, which, as previously announced, have been engaged in pre-opening activities for several months, are located in the Long Dian Building in downtown Harbin, China, a centrally located building for SOKO's target upper-middle class clients. SOKO now holds majority ownership in 13 fitness and spa facilities in Harbin, including Yoga Wave Harbin, which opened in February 2010 and is also strategically located in the Long Dian Building.
"Our newest facility openings further expand our presence in what we believe is an ideal location in Harbin, where there remains significant opportunity to attract new customers and clients from the city's rapidly growing upper-middle class," said Tong Liu, Chief Executive Officer of SOKO. "Having three facilities under a single roof allows us to fully leverage our cross-selling model while offering our customers and members a complete range of fitness, wellness and aesthetic services. Strong pre-sale activity at both Legend Spa and Daoli Fitness, as well as the continued growth we have achieved at Yoga Wave Harbin in the last four months, provides further validation of our prominent reputation in Harbin and the significant brand equity we have built since opening our first Harbin spa 18 years ago."
Harbin is one of the three largest cities in Northeastern China, with a population of more than 6 million and a fast-growing upper-middle class demographic. SOKO's three facilities in the Long Dian Building occupy a total of more than 60 thousand square feet, covering 5 floors of the 34-story commercial and residential building.
Consistent with SOKO's business model at other facilities, the Company expects annual spa visits and fitness club memberships to ramp significantly during these facilities' first two years of operation.
Legend Spa Central Club is a 20,000 square foot facility featuring 23 treatment rooms, and will offer a range of high-end beauty and aesthetic treatments in luxurious settings similar to those offered at SOKO's other facilities in Harbin, Shenyang and suburban Beijing. In conjunction with pre-opening sales and marketing activities, SOKO signed over 250 customers ahead of the spa's grand opening.
At Daoli Fitness, the Company has sold over 100 memberships during pre-opening sales activities. The 20,000 square foot facility features high-end classrooms and an area for private training sessions, state of the art equipment and amenities. Members of Daoli Fitness will have access to a variety of classes, including spin, Pilates and aerobics taught by expert trainers and instructors.
SOURCE SOKO Fitness & Spa Group, Inc.