VASA Fitness is planned for Brynwood Square, filling the former Hilander grocery store space along North Mulford Road in Rockford. The building is pictured Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A former grocery store in the Brynwood Square shopping center along North Mulford Road is being converted into the new home of a national fitness club.

VASA Fitness plans to fill the space at 2601 N. Mulford Road, which was the longtime home of Hilander and most recently Schnucks before closing in summer 2018.

Preliminary work has begun to convert the space into the fitness center. A city building permit shows construction is underway to raise the roof by four feet to accommodate VASA. A full permit for the remaining scope of the work has not yet been submitted, according to city staff.

A timeline for construction and the opening of the club is not clear, yet.

“The landlord is currently performing work on the building, but VASA has not yet broken ground,” a VASA spokesperson told the Rock River Current. “Once we begin construction, we’ll be excited to share that milestone with the community. We look forward to providing more updates in the future.”

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VASA Fitness is billed as an inclusive and accessible fitness club in the high-value, low-cost model. It says its mission is to uplift and improve its members’ lives through fun and on-trend fitness. VASA gyms have boutique-style studio classes including infrared yoga and HIIT (high-intensity interval training) groups. VASA clubs across the country also have indoor pools, sauna, basketball, versatile functional turf areas, strength training and cardio equipment, cycling classes, racquetball, and recovery facilities such as a massage chair and steam room. Clubs also have unique features such as light therapy and a fitness cinema to workout while watching a movie.

“Whatever your goals, our wide variety of amenities will keep you motivated — and coming back for more,” VASA says on its website.

There are more than 60 VASA Fitness clubs across the country, including six in Illinois with others planned for the state on the way, according to the company’s website. VASA was founded in 2014 under the Gold’s Gym name and rebranded to its current name roughly a year later.

It will become the new anchor tenant for Brynwood Square, which for years was anchored by a grocery store. Schnuck Markets Inc. purchased seven Hilander locations, including the one in Brynwood, from Kroger Co. in September 2011. It then rebranded the grocery store under its name in 2013, according to Rockford Register Star archives. The Schnucks operated in Brynwood until being closed July 8, 2018.

Brynwood Square is also home to Baskin-Robbins, Salamone’s North restaurant, Jerry’s Café, Brynwood Pak N Ship, Salon 3 One 3 and Davig’s Custom Cleaners.

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This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas