24-hour Drifter’s Gym opens in As Lito

A new place for working out and socializing has opened its doors in As Lito and the freshly painted mural that greets you when you step inside—a painting of warriors beating up robots—should make you feel capable of taking on the 30-plus gym machines.

Drifter’s Gym, owned by new Saipan resident “Grim” Gonzalez, is a new 24-hour, fully air-conditioned gym, which is the first gym to open in the south side of Saipan.

Gonzalez, with the help of mostly student-volunteers, assembled the equipment inside the gym earlier this month—an undertaking that took roughly a couple of months’ work and $50,000.

Registration for memberships opened up on Oct. 23 and in less than a week, the 200-member limit had been filled up, with people on a waiting list.

When registration opens up again on Dec. 20, the price for a 30-day membership is $30, while a monthly subscription will run you $28. For a one-time payment of a year’s membership, it is $312, or just $26 a month, which ultimately saves you $28.

Drifter’s Gym, located in the building where the old Hollywood Video used to be in As Lito, is a new 24-hour air-conditioned gym that opened last Tuesday. It is owned by “Grim” Gonzalez. (LEIGH GASES)

To sign up for membership, visit https://www.driftersgym.com/.

Only members with a membership card are allowed inside and you’d have to take off your outdoor slippers/shoes when you enter, as the floor is fully covered with a thick black mat padding. The gym provides indoor shoes or slippers or you may use your clean gym shoes. Cleaning up after yourself is a must.

The capacity of the gym is 44 people, but according to Gonzalez, who has owned gyms in Japan, he is comfortable with 18 people, with up to five people inside at once. “Actually, that’s the reason why I put up a limitation…because I wanted to focus on the user experience—not to be overcrowded… I don’t want to create a situation where there is an over [capacity] of people, and everyone is unhappy.”

Gonzalez, who came to live on Saipan only in May, describes the business as an affordable 24-hour air-conditioned gym. ‘…I’m sure everyone would love this.”

When asked why he put up the business, Gonzales, who is a retired U.S. Marine, said he has dedicated his life to volunteering and public service “just because it makes me happy and it feels purposeful. I am able to avoid that darkness many veterans face after leaving service, the question, ‘What am I doing with my life? Is what I’m doing meaningful?’ So, although as much as I hate being a ‘business owner,’ I could at least find some purpose in opening this gym, keeping in enough shape where I don’t have to buy new clothes, and being a good role model for my daughter.”

Drifter’s Gym is also “for those law enforcement officers, for those first responders, for those nurses—when they get off at 2am, where can they socialize? Where can they have stress relief? Where can they feel comfortable, clean? Not humid, sweaty and dying after a long shift,” he said.

As for the mural, it was done by free hand within a span of 12 or so hours by artist Aaron Tomokane, while the Drifter’s Gym design was made by Gonzalez.

With the name “Drifter’s Gym,” the 28-year-old said that “I could have called this Blueberry Pancake Gym or Sandy Shell Gym or something, anything. It doesn’t really matter. I’ve lived and wandered through dense jungles to frozen hellscapes. Originally born in a Pirates of the Caribbean-esque set (Costa Rica), I felt like a drifter so I called it Drifter’s Gym. I don’t know. It’s just kind of funny to me.”

Right from the parking lot through the clear windows into the gym, your vision is met with the equipment’s red and black color scheme—with the huge black and white mural that takes up the wall on the right side.

As for future plans, the single father who ultimately came to Saipan to relax said that in the next six months or so, he is looking at opening a gym in the northside of the island.

Drifter’s Gym is located in the building where the old Hollywood Video used to be along Chalan Msgr. Martinez Road in As Lito. For more information, call 670-484-1000,