top of page
< Back

SSP opens its sixth gym in Wedgwood, seventh coming

Seattle Strength & Performance opened in Wedgwood in September 2026, its first Northeast Seattle gym, with Eastlake due November 2026.

<h6>Seattle Fitness Magazine · 28 Oct 2026</h6><ul><li><strong>6</strong>gyms open</li><li><strong>1,100+</strong>members</li><li><strong>352%</strong>growth</li></ul><h2>SSP opens in Wedgwood</h2> <p><b>Seattle Strength &amp; Performance opened its sixth gym in Wedgwood in September 2026, its first foothold in Northeast Seattle.</b></p><p>The location at 9425 35th Ave NE sits in retail space inside the Morningside Heights apartment building, and by October 6 the Wedgwood Community Council had listed it on its neighborhood business agenda. A seventh location, in Eastlake at 2324 Eastlake Ave E, is billed as opening in November 2026.</p> <h2>Six gyms in six years</h2> <p><b>Chris Travis, a former Amazon product manager, opened SSP&#x27;s first gym in Queen Anne in August 2020.</b></p><p>The SSP name predates Travis: the Mercer Island Reporter reported in June 2026 that he purchased the brand from original owner Jake De La Pena, who started it in 2010, though no other source read during this research corroborates that account.</p><p>From that Queen Anne start of roughly 20 members, SSP now counts more than 1,100 members across its open locations, according to Athletech News. Phinney Ridge followed in May 2022, then West Seattle in early May 2024, Ballard around October 2025, Mercer Island on May 11, 2026. Wedgwood in September 2026 made six.</p> <h2>What happens inside</h2> <p><b>Every new member starts with a one-on-one assessment before joining a class.</b></p><p>Group strength and conditioning sessions run up to 12 people; semi-private personal training at Mercer Island runs in groups of four. The gyms are all under 2,000 square feet of training floor and have no mirrors.</p><p>Arya, a Queen Anne member who trains alongside her husband Rob and daughter Theia, told Seattle Refined: &quot;The coaches really know their stuff, but their kindness is an equally valuable draw. We love that they acknowledge that people can&#x27;t always &#x27;give their all,&#x27; especially if it&#x27;s been a hard day at work or parenting or whatever.&quot;</p> <h2>The numbers behind the growth</h2> <p>SSP was ranked No. 983 on the 2026 Inc. 5000, No. 18 in Washington state, after posting 352% growth from 2022 to 2025, per Athletech News. The company reported just under $2 million in revenue for the first half of 2026, putting it on pace for roughly $4 million for the year, according to the operator.</p><p>Membership is up 32% year over year, while profit has climbed by the same percentage, Athletech News reported in August 2026. Travis is targeting 15 locations across greater Seattle by 2028. SSP is entirely company-owned, not franchised.</p> <h2>How to get started</h2> <p><b>The form at seattlesp.com is the entry point.</b></p><p>A coach reaches out to schedule an intro session before any commitment; pricing comes through that conversation. Wedgwood at 9425 35th Ave NE is SSP&#x27;s first Northeast Seattle location. Eastlake, at 2324 Eastlake Ave E, follows in November 2026; founding member sign-ups are open.</p>
Seattle Fitness Magazine · 28 Oct 2026
  • 6gyms open
  • 1,100+members
  • 352%growth

SSP opens in Wedgwood

Seattle Strength & Performance opened its sixth gym in Wedgwood in September 2026, its first foothold in Northeast Seattle.

The location at 9425 35th Ave NE sits in retail space inside the Morningside Heights apartment building, and by October 6 the Wedgwood Community Council had listed it on its neighborhood business agenda. A seventh location, in Eastlake at 2324 Eastlake Ave E, is billed as opening in November 2026.

Six gyms in six years

Chris Travis, a former Amazon product manager, opened SSP's first gym in Queen Anne in August 2020.

The SSP name predates Travis: the Mercer Island Reporter reported in June 2026 that he purchased the brand from original owner Jake De La Pena, who started it in 2010, though no other source read during this research corroborates that account.

From that Queen Anne start of roughly 20 members, SSP now counts more than 1,100 members across its open locations, according to Athletech News. Phinney Ridge followed in May 2022, then West Seattle in early May 2024, Ballard around October 2025, Mercer Island on May 11, 2026. Wedgwood in September 2026 made six.

What happens inside

Every new member starts with a one-on-one assessment before joining a class.

Group strength and conditioning sessions run up to 12 people; semi-private personal training at Mercer Island runs in groups of four. The gyms are all under 2,000 square feet of training floor and have no mirrors.

Arya, a Queen Anne member who trains alongside her husband Rob and daughter Theia, told Seattle Refined: "The coaches really know their stuff, but their kindness is an equally valuable draw. We love that they acknowledge that people can't always 'give their all,' especially if it's been a hard day at work or parenting or whatever."

The numbers behind the growth

SSP was ranked No. 983 on the 2026 Inc. 5000, No. 18 in Washington state, after posting 352% growth from 2022 to 2025, per Athletech News. The company reported just under $2 million in revenue for the first half of 2026, putting it on pace for roughly $4 million for the year, according to the operator.

Membership is up 32% year over year, while profit has climbed by the same percentage, Athletech News reported in August 2026. Travis is targeting 15 locations across greater Seattle by 2028. SSP is entirely company-owned, not franchised.

How to get started

The form at seattlesp.com is the entry point.

A coach reaches out to schedule an intro session before any commitment; pricing comes through that conversation. Wedgwood at 9425 35th Ave NE is SSP's first Northeast Seattle location. Eastlake, at 2324 Eastlake Ave E, follows in November 2026; founding member sign-ups are open.

bottom of page