High Stakes Harley-Davidson is moving into the vacant LA Fitness off Meijer Drive in Florence.

Currently, High Stakes Harley-Davidson is located next to the Florence Y’all water tower near the Florence Mall. Seeking a newer and more modern space, High Stakes Harley-Davidson plans to relocate into the former gym at 430 Meijer Drive, where they will renovate the building’s interior and exterior.

On Wednesday, November 20, the Boone County Planning Commission voted to approve a technical design change requested by High Stakes Harley-Davidson. Before the planning commission meeting, the Technical Design/Review Board also voted to approve Harley-Davidson’s request.

“The site is visible from the interstate. It’s the former fitness building – the one with the glass wall,” Zoning Administrator Michael Schwartz said.

High Stakes Harley-Davidson plans to rehabilitate the building’s interior and exterior glass facade. Some rehabilitation highlights include painting the columns in the front and back of the building orange and adding Harley-Davidson logos and signage to the building’s exterior. High Stakes Harley-Davidson will use the glass facade to display motorcycles that are visible to spectators standing outside.

In addition, High Stakes Harley-Davidson plans to build an outdoor canopy that can hold approximately 20 to 25 people. Jim Carmichael, a representative for High Stakes Harley-Davidson, said the canopy will operate as an outdoor customer lounge but will also feature a door that leads to an indoor customer lounge.

“If you’ve ever been to a Harley Davidson dealership, a lot of people just go to hang out, oftentimes,” Carmichael said. “If you have nowhere to ride, most people ride to a dealership, kinda hang out, whether they hang out inside or outside. It’s not all day, and it’s usually just a pit stop somewhere.”

LA Fitness closed in 2022 and has remained vacant ever since. According to Boone County property records, Findlay, Ohio-based HS HD LLC purchased the property for $5.5 million on September 10.

“I think the building looks nice,” Planning Commission member Rick Lunnemann said.

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