Brian Dobson talks about the origins of Metroflex Gym’s grimy, gritty, hardcore aesthetic.
When bodybuilding and fitness enthusiasts heard the word Metroflex Gym, it immediately conjures images of graffiti, grime, dirt, and sweat. The iconic gym is more of a dungeon or a warehouse thank the kind of ultra clean and pleasant chain gyms that dot across the world today. But how much of Metroflex’s hardcore look was by design and how much of it was an organic evolution of its clientele? In our latest GI Exclusive interview, owner of the original Metroflex Gym, Brian Dobson, details how the iconic hardcore look came to be.
When Brian Dobson first got his hands on the building that would become Metroflex Gym, its walls were painted in a “prison blue.” That’s at least how Dobson likes to describe the color. It was a solid light blue that created more of a feeling of calm. That’s the exact opposite of what Dobson wanted for Metroflex Gym. It was the first thing to be changed.
Brian Dobson believes that colors can have a major impact on a person’s mood and mindset. When training in a gym, mindset can be more than half the battle to giving yourself a good workout. This of course has been a branding and marketing tactic for decades. The iconic McDonald’s yellow and red was chosen for a very specific reason. They thought it would set a hungry mindset.
This is the same tactic Brian Dobson took in building Metroflex Gym. He wanted bright red and black colors to be plastered over the wall. He wanted manic energy. He wanted something that felt as intense and hardcore as the workouts that would one day be performed in the building.
That being said, the exact graffiti look of Metroflex Gym, the imagery we know and love today, wasn’t an exact detailed plan. It wasn’t a specific vision that Brian Dobson meticulously built step by step before opening.
Instead it was more of a mood that continued to evolve over time as the gym and clientele continued to evolve. As noted before, the colors were the first thing to come to mind. The second was the lighting. Dobson wanted bright lights as he felt darkness felt suffocating and deflating.
So what about the hardcore dirty look of the gym? Was that on purpose from the start? Traditional businessmen might think a “dirty” look would actually deter customers from visiting. Brian Dobson didn’t think it was something that mattered much for the kind of gym guests he wanted.
“As long as the equipment works, that’s all that matters.” This is a phrase Brian Dobson states during our video conversation. He takes pride in bringing the best equipment for people who take weightlifting seriously. That’s the draw that brings people coming back. The rest becomes an organic extension of the personalities that enter the gym. It ebbed and flowed over time – fitting like a glove for the athletes and weightlifters that were most passionate about training.
You can watch Brian Dobson share stories of how Metroflex Gym became the hardcore icon it is today by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
