New locally owned gym by former Equinox employees opens in NoDa
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Oro Athletic is NoDa's newest fitness studio. Photo: McKenzie Rankin/Axios
Oro Athletic, a locally-owned open gym catering to all fitness levels, recently opened in NoDa.
Why it matters: Oro aims to be the alternative to intimidating, overcrowded gyms, co-owner Nick Rodriguez tells Axios. "We want anyone to walk in and feel informed and welcome."
The vibe: Oro doesn't focus on one niche. It offers both traditional equipment— like squat racks and dumbbells — and functional gear, like turf for gym sleds and assault bikes, in an open gym format.
What they're saying: A lot of open gyms are bodybuilder-based, machine-heavy, or cater to general fitness, says Nick.
- "We wanted to make a gym where you can do the things you would do in a traditional gym, plus more functional, high-intensity equipment within an open gym."
Zoom in: The space is divided into four main areas: a machine section, a free weight section, a turf zone, and a boxing room with six 130-pound kickboxing bags.
What to expect: In addition to the open gym, Oro offers personal and small group training for an extra fee.
- Group classes fall into two categories: athletic conditioning (like strength training for runners) and boxing/kickboxing. They're meant to be beginner-friendly. So even if you know nothing about boxing, you'll be able to get personalized coaching.
- "We keep these classes small—between three to 10 people—so they're technique-focused," says Nick.
Flashback: Owners and husband-and-wife duo Nick and Allie Rodriguez met working at an Equinox in Chicago six years ago. After a road trip to Charlotte during Covid, they moved to the area with the goal of opening their own studio.
- Both are personal trainers; Nick has a background in coaching, plus competing in boxing and Muay Thai. Allie's also a nutritionist.
Between the lines: Oro means gold in Spanish. And Nick, who's half Hispanic, jokes that the gym's name has a nerdy origin — it was the nickname of one of his video game characters growing up.
Zoom out: The gym is sandwiched between two other locally-owned studios — strength and conditioning gym Charlotte Strength on the same street and popular weightlifting gym, Fitness Factory less than half a mile away.
If you go: Founding memberships are live on their website for $125 per month. After they sell out, standard memberships will be $150.
Stop by: Oro Athletic is at 619 Anderson St. in NoDa, on the same street as Charlotte Strength and Great Wagon Road Distilling.
- It's open Monday-Thursday 5am-9pm, Friday 5am-8pm and Saturday-Sunday 7am-3pm.
Take a look around:
