How I Got My Job Running Cafes Out of Climbing Gyms

Joeleen Ng, a former pharmaceutical advertising professional and avid climber, has become the operator of cafes inside Brooklyn’s Vital Brooklyn gym and Manhattan’s Lower East Side gym, marking a notable example of entrepreneurial adaptation in third spaces.

Ng started climbing in 2021 and, after participating in community events at Vital Brooklyn, she took over the cafe space when the original operator stepped down. With no prior hospitality background, she learned on the fly, managing the cafe’s operations, staff, and menu development while balancing her full-time job and climbing hobby. Her success led to her being invited to operate a second cafe at the LES gym, where she continues to experiment with making the space both a community hub and a remote work spot.

Ng’s approach involved a lot of self-education, reaching out to former managers, and creating processes to ensure consistency. She emphasizes the importance of balancing her relationships with employees, many of whom are former climbers, with her managerial responsibilities. The gyms provide her with significant freedom to design the cafes’ offerings and operations under a management agreement that includes a license fee.

Why It Matters

This story exemplifies how entrepreneurs without traditional hospitality backgrounds can succeed by leveraging community spaces and adapting to local needs. Ng’s experience demonstrates the potential for gyms and third spaces to diversify their offerings and foster community engagement beyond physical activity, which is especially relevant amid ongoing shifts in consumer behavior post-pandemic.

Background

Third spaces like cafes within gyms are increasingly popular as community hubs that blend activity and socialization. Ng’s experience aligns with broader trends of hybrid spaces that serve multiple functions. Her story also reflects a growing movement of non-traditional entrepreneurs entering hospitality by repurposing existing community spaces, often with minimal prior experience.

“Just try! That was my partner’s advice when I asked if I could do this.”

— Joeleen Ng

“It was a lot on the fly. I had to learn everything as I went along.”

— Ng

“The gym gives me a lot of freedom in how we run things.”

— Ng

What Remains Unclear

It is not yet clear how sustainable Ng’s model will be long-term or how replicable her success is for others without similar community ties or support structures.

What’s Next

Ng plans to continue refining her cafes, experimenting with menu offerings, and expanding her community-focused approach. The gyms may also explore additional third spaces or similar hybrid models, potentially inspiring other entrepreneurs to follow suit.

Key Questions

How did Ng manage to open cafes without hospitality experience?

Ng learned through hands-on experience, reaching out to former managers, and creating her own processes for operations and staff management.

What role do the gyms play in Ng’s cafes?

The gyms provide the physical space and some operational freedom through a management agreement, allowing Ng to design the cafes’ offerings and manage day-to-day activities.

Are Ng’s cafes profitable?

While specific financial details are not publicly available, Ng reports that her initial efforts were successful enough to expand to a second location, indicating positive performance.

Can this model be replicated in other gyms or community spaces?

Potentially, but success depends on community engagement, gym support, and the entrepreneur’s ability to adapt and manage operations effectively.