Doug's Gym
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Fitness |
| Founded | September 1, 1962 in Dallas, Texas, United States |
| Founder | Douglas Eidd |
| Defunct | 2018 |
| Headquarters | Dallas , United States |
Area served | Dallas, Texas |
| Products | Gym services, personal training |
Doug's Gym was established in 1962 in Dallas, Texas, by Douglas Eidd, who managed the gym at its original downtown site for more than five decades. This facility became a well-known fixture in downtown Dallas and earned multiple accolades as one of the premier gyms across the United States. After operating for 55 years, it ceased operations permanently in 2018.
History
Douglas Eidd, born on November 4, 1930, inaugurated Doug's Gym at 2010½ Commerce Street on September 1, 1962. Prior to founding the gym, he served as a physiotherapist during the Korean War (1950–1953) and gained experience working at various fitness centers in Dallas. The gym was situated centrally downtown, directly across from the prominent Dallas Statler Hilton hotel.
Eidd observed the intense activity at the police station opposite his gym following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. The gym attracted notable personalities such as Jack Ruby, who frequented the location, and even Triple H trained there ahead of a Wrestlemania event. Although the neighborhood experienced decline throughout the 1970s and 1980s, recent revitalization efforts have transformed the area; Doug's Gym now faces the newly developed Main Street Garden Park.
Awards
Muscle and Fitness magazine honored Doug's Gym twice as one of America’s top gyms. In July 2005, it received the title of “best old-school gym,” and in 2009, it ranked among the “top 6 bodybuilding gyms.” The publication commended it as “a traditional training facility in the truest sense.”
Equipment
Most of Doug's Gym’s original exercise machines from the 1960s remain intact. Aside from a Smith machine, all workout stations utilize free weights, which contributes to its characteristic “old-school” ambiance.
Sources
- Printed
- Jim Poyner, “Getting an Overhaul at Doug's—a Gym of a Body Shop,” Dallas Morning News (Jan. 6, 1979), Sports Spectrum, p. 1.
- “Throwback gym offers fitness—no frills,” Odessa American (Feb. 28, 2000), p. 3B.
- Philipp W. Rosemann, “Doug's Gym: a Gym with a Soul,” (University of Dallas) University News (March 4, 2008), p. 13.
- Roy Appleton, “Lifting Spirits since '62,” Dallas Morning News (July 20, 2008), pp. 1/23A.
- Online
- William DeShazer, “Doug's Gym: in Dallas since 1962,” Dallas Morning News Video (July 16, 2008).
- Roy Appleton, “Ironman of Doug's Gym in Dallas still Going Strong,” Dallas Morning News Video (July 18, 2008).
- Greg Merritt, "Doug's Gym: The Oldest Old-School Gym," The Barbell (March 1, 2022).