• Advertise
  • Donate
  • Write
  • Intern
  • Events
  • About
  • Contact

The Austinot

Discover Austin Texas! An Austin blog with hundreds of unique articles.

  • Things To Do
    • Things To Do This Weekend
    • Things To Do This Week
    • Things To Do This Weekend With Kids
  • Discoveries
    • Austinot Loves
    • Activities
    • Day Trips
    • Local Business
  • Food & Drink
    • Food
    • Drink
  • Entertainment
    • Events
    • Film
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Theatre
  • Culture
    • Arts
    • History
    • Museums
  • Et Cetera
    • Non-Profits
    • Podcast
    • Archives

Dane’s Body Shop Is New Fitness Stop on Manor Road

July 8, 2015 by Leah Nyfeler 5 Comments

Dane's Body Shop opens on Manor Road in Austin

The new homegrown gym on Manor Road is right across from local market in.gredients

Austin is known for its good food, live music and hopping bar scene, and existing establishments on Manor Road check each of these boxes.

But there’s another important facet to life in Austin: fitness. Thanks to local boutique gym Dane’s Body Shop’s expansion to 2701 Manor Road, this up and coming eastside city artery will soon have it all.

What Is Dane’s Body Shop?

Strong Person Mini Meet 2015

Dane’s Body Shop recently held a competition for members, the Strong Person Mini-Meet 2015, at the flagship location on Guadalupe, shown here (Credit: Kirsten Thompson)

Dane Krager, native Austinite and founder/owner of Dane’s Body Shop, might raise an eyebrow at “boutique” as a descriptor, but it’s a necessary adjective for differentiating this small homegrown gym from national, big box chains. The gym follows the man–Krager is a personable, laid-back guy who also happens to be an elite athlete and accomplished trainer.

The flagship Dane’s Body Shop opened in 2010 at 4227 Guadalupe in what was once a gas station (think about the name). From the beginning, it provided quality workouts for small groups, all structured within a positive atmosphere. Over the last five years, Krager has developed a loyal clientele. “We’re a community,” he said as he surveyed the new location. “Everybody wants to be part of something bigger. Everybody wants to help [with the gym] and have fun.”

You get a taste of how involved Body Shop members are by viewing their quirky, explanatory video, “Is Dane’s a Gym?” Written in 2013 by member Mical Trejo, filmed by local photography and video production company Moth To Flame and populated by the real people–coaches and clients–who make up Dane’s Body Shop, it amounts to the only advertising Krager has ever really put together.

Expanding to Manor Road

Dane Krager judges med ball toss at Dane's Body Shop

When the gym is small, space is used creatively – Krager judges a med ball toss at the Strong Person Mini-Meet 2015 (Credit: Kirsten Thompson)

This second location of Dane’s Body Shop is moving into the space formerly occupied by Master Valet Cleaners, which is relocating to its south Austin Laundry Boy store. It’s conveniently positioned near bus stops, restaurants and apartment buildings, not to mention mere minutes from The University of Texas campus, and part of a walkable neighborhood. Krager was excited to describe his plans for transforming the building into an exercise facility. After all, he’d been looking for just the right location since 2012.

Krager is keeping the building’s original footprint, which is much larger than it appears from the street. Whereas the flagship location is comprised of two segments (one room for strength training and the other for fusion workouts, a mix of strength, endurance and range of motion), the Manor Road shop will have three distinct areas.

The front of the building, where customers formerly dropped off laundry, will be an air conditioned space Krager described as a “community room.” He envisions patrons relaxing before or after workouts while grabbing a refreshment.”We’re in talks with some local shops and vendors to create a coffee shop/tap room,” Krager explained.

The middle section, now populated by big laundry equipment, will be taken down to the studs for renovation: electricity and plumbing upgraded, showers added. This larger, climate controlled space will function as a multipurpose fitness room for a variety of workouts and yoga classes. Krager embraced yoga once he retired from football–he played for Leander High School, Angelo State University, the NFL (here and in Europe) and Arena Football League. (With his movie star good looks, Krager’s also portrayed a football player on the screen; look for him as Willis in “Friday Night Lights” and as a stunt double in Adam Sandler’s 2005 remake of The Longest Yard).

Tire Flip at Dane's Body Shop in Austin

There’s not a lot of froufrou decor or equipment at Dane’s Body Shop, as Marc Todd Sturdivant demonstrates with a tire flip (Credit: Kirsten Thompson)

The back room, however, is something athletes can get especially excited about. Krager will be putting in glass doors “so you can see the action.” He’s salvaging as much of the original building material as possible to provide the same industrial, no-nonsense decor found in the flagship Dane’s Body Shop. By rolling up the garage doors, the big space will open to the outside, and the back alley may even be pressed into service for run training. Krager gestured down the street to point out houses that are “a stone’s throw away,” so there’ll be no pumping music or loud clanging of weights. “We want our neighbors to love us,” he stressed. “That’s our passion, mixing well with the community.”

It’s that sense of unity, the focus on “intertwining different workout regimens,” that fuels Krager’s fire. “It’s our goal to be welcoming to all different levels,” he said. “We don’t want to pigeon-hole what we do, and we’ll never claim to be the ‘be-all, end-all’ of fitness.”

With help from operations director John Whiteley, Krager strives to create a well oiled business structure that provides high end customer service derived from client feedback. Because they’re continually putting a finger on their members’ pulse, offerings at the two locations may vary greatly. This is in keeping with Krager’s philosophy: fitness should be “ever evolving, malleable” and meet a “healthy mixture of needs.”

When Will Dane’s Body Shop Open on Manor?

In a perfect world, Krager will have a rolling opening to the new Dane’s Body Shop. He plans to be on site every day, something he feels is crucial to assessing the Manor Road clientele’s desires. Krager would like to hold introductory workout groups in late August, and he sees a full opening around the beginning of October 2015.

As at the Guadalupe flagship shop, there will be some free Sunday morning workouts so those interested in the gym can give it a try before purchasing memberships (unlimited classes, with monthly installments, or a one year lump sum payment) or punch cards (amount varies, based on number of classes).

Get a taste of Dane’s Body Shop this month on Sundays at 10:30 AM. Free workouts are provided in partnership with lululemon athletica at the Domain.

To find out more about upcoming classes at both locations (Guadalupe and Manor Road), visit the Dane’s Body Shop Facebook page or gym website.

 

@Leahruns100 wants to know:

What kind of workout or exercise do you like best?

Filed Under: Discoveries, Local Business Tagged With: fitness, manor

Best of The Austinot

We always have unique content on The Austinot and we love to give things away. You know, like concert tickets, gift cards, and other cool stuff. We only send out our “Best of the Austinot” newsletter twice a month. It’s where we give you a recap of our best articles and give stuff away. Interested? Subscribe to Best of The Austinot here!

Subscribe
Login
Notify of
guest
guest
5 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Dane's Body Shop
Dane's Body Shop
6 years ago

Awesome article, Leah! Thanks!

0
Reply
Leah Nyfeler
Leah Nyfeler
6 years ago
Reply to  Dane's Body Shop

My pleasure! It’s fun to point out native Austinites who are fulfilling their dreams right here in town. And I love sharing information about this city, especially when it touches on health and wellness.

0
Reply
Christian Hunter
Christian Hunter
6 years ago

Excellent article

Who, I ask, would have thought there was ANYTHING truly original left for a gym to do in this world? I didn’t [removes egg from face].

i remember the energy and the culture at Dane’s being the thing I found most striking (and highly suspect) at first: I looked around (like one might when it dawns on them that they might have accidentally joined a cult?); I thought “Why the hell is everyone so friggin happy, they’re working out, like hard, and they’re sweating too for god sakes!??”

I LOATHED working out (it was, to me, always a necessary evil) and I’d have prob wagered something huge that they were pumping something illicit through the air ducts…still, by my third visit I’d become one of them (look mom, I can sweat, be happy, and not fly into an irritable rage)!

Ugh! I don’t know what it is about these gems getting discovered. I’m ashamed of how it makes me feel: of course on the one hand i want them to succeed, but there’s also that a part of me (you know, the “Mine! It’s all Mine!” selfish part) that wishes your favorite things would stay the same; everything frozen in its same perfect state forever!

Still, they deserve the recognition, and despite growing prob every month since i got there, Dane’s (with the help and support of their killer team and amazing member family) managed to pull off one improvement after another since.

You guys have forged something really remarkable, really unique, and special there. So good luck at your new location Dane’s!

0
Reply
Leah Nyfeler
Leah Nyfeler
6 years ago

Update on Dane’s: I just got through to talking to Dane for our neighborhood newsletter, The Flea, and the permit process with City of Austin has been a frustrating slow-down. They just had a free Sunday workout from the shop (check their website for the next upcoming eastside free workout; my husband went) and they’re hoping for a grand opening in late November. Watch Dane’s Body Shop website and social media for updates. Until then, Dane says to stop by and say “hi”–he’s out there, getting his hands dirty with the remodeling.

0
Reply

Connect with Us

    Hyperlocal Blog About the City of A...

    To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

    Hyperlocal Blog About the City of Austin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Things to do

Things to do in Austin this week

10 Fun Things to do in Austin this week of July 4, 2022 include Round Rock Express Vs. Albuquerque, Cedar Park Fourth, and more!

Austin is now among the fastest-growing metroplexes in the US! Keeping up with the growth, luckily there’s plenty going on in Austin all days of the week. There are things to do on Monday in Austin, of course, things to do in Austin on Saturday night, and everything in between! Some of you may be […]

Things to do in Austin with kids this weekend

Top 10 Things to Do in Austin with Kids this Weekend of July 1, 2022 include Bastrop Patriotic Festival, Family Game Night, and More!

If there’s one thing about this city, it’s that there is always something going on. So, if you’re looking for fun things to do in Austin with kids this weekend of July 1, 2022, there’s plenty of fun to be had, including Dive In Movies – Wells Branch, Bastrop Patriotic Festival, and more!   Top […]

Things to do in Austin this weekend | Brick Rodeo

10 Fun Things to Do in Austin This Weekend of July 1, 2022 Include Brick Rodeo, Party at Independence, and More!

  For summer camp information, check out our page for Best Summer Camps in Austin for 2022!  If you would like to discover more Things to do in Austin this Week & Things to do in Austin with Kids this Weekend, check out Facebook for immediate notifications.

texas swimming holes near austin

Texas swimming holes near Austin – 10 watering holes for a fun swim this summer

If you have been looking for free places to swim in Austin or googling ‘swimming holes near me’, you are in the right place! Texas is known for a lot of things and one of them is relentlessly hot summers. The temperatures are rising in Austin and across the state. Luckily, there are also many […]

Austin trampoline parks - Urban Air Adventure Park (Cedar Park)

Austin Trampoline Parks – Best Indoor Jumping Places for Kids and Adults!

Trampoline parks were among the decade’s most unique leisure attractions. They offer a playful atmosphere where people can defy the laws of physics and have a good time hurling themselves around. It consists of a large room filled wall to wall with trampolines. On the weekend, you may get rid of your boredom and have […]

Recent Posts

  • 10 Fun Things to do in Austin this week of July 4, 2022 include Round Rock Express Vs. Albuquerque, Cedar Park Fourth, and more!
  • Top 10 Things to Do in Austin with Kids this Weekend of July 1, 2022 include Bastrop Patriotic Festival, Family Game Night, and More!
  • 4th July events in Austin: Independence day 2022 fireworks, parades, concerts & other celebrations!
  • 10 Fun Things to Do in Austin This Weekend of July 1, 2022 Include Brick Rodeo, Party at Independence, and More!
  • Texas swimming holes near Austin – 10 watering holes for a fun swim this summer

Welcome to The Austinot

We are all about Austin: the vibe, the people and the uniqueness of the city. We love to explore. Get to know us! We’ll respond if you comment. Heck, we’ll probably invite you to come and hang out with us!

Follow along to help support and learn more about local businesses, artists, and events.

-The Austinot Team

Privacy Policy

Trending Posts

  • 4th July events in Austin: Independence day 2022 fireworks, parades, concerts & other celebrations!
  • 10 Best Lakes in and around Austin
  • 7 Popular Lady Bird Lake Activities to Experience This Year
  • Day Trip in Austin: 10 Places To Visit Like a Tourist
  • 20 Restaurants Open Late in Austin – Best Late Night Food Places For Tasty Eats

Copyright © 2022 · Log in

wpDiscuz