Crossfit Kenmore Offers a Local Spot for Community Connection While Building Strength
We recently sat down with Coral Malean, CrossFit Kenmore’s, owner to learn about the the gym’s culture and connectivity.
Q: Tell me about your gym size and space? How many members and trainers do you have?
Coral: The gym is about 2,500 square feet. We have around 150 members and we have eight coaches on staff. So, classes tend to be larger groups, but it really depends on the time of day. We also do small group training and personal training.
Q: What type of culture and vibe do you try to cultivate at your gym?
Coral: Most CrossFit gyms are pretty community driven and we do have a really strong community here in Kenmore. For example, there are a few different groups of people who get together for coffee weekly, and we have a run club on Sundays. Our gym is a little bit more weightlifting focused. We have trainers that have their United States weightlifting certification, so we know our way around a barbell. Other than that, we are just a fun group and gym—we try to have a good time.
Q: Do you have advice for people who have been thinking about trying CrossFit but are intimidated or just need that extra push?
Coral: Yeah, I think sometimes CrossFit still gets a reputation or a rap for being really hardcore, but the beauty of CrossFit is that everything is scalable and modifiable. And you’re sharing the cost of a trainer with the other members, so you have somebody looking out for you and helping you figure out which exercises are the best fit for your skill level. A lot of people think that they need to be fit to start CrossFit, but that’s what we’re here to help you do is get fit.
Q: You mentioned that you have a lot of folks that come out in the early morning?
Coral: That’s actually our busiest time. The members that come in at 5:30 AM and 6:30 AM are a really tight knit group. They get together every Friday for coffee at Diva [Espresso]. And they just show up and put in work together consistently.
Q: How can we as a community support you and your business?
Coral: I think people just coming in to try the gym and experience CrossFit for themselves is the best way to support us.
Q: What lessons have you learned through operating a business in Kenmore?
Coral: I would say that there’s always resources and people out there to help you, so don’t feel like you have to do it alone. The community will have your back.
Q: Can you tell me a little bit about your story and what inspired you to bring CrossFit to Kenmore?
Coral: I took over ownership eight years ago from a former navy seal. So, I didn’t start it from the ground up, but fitness is my passion, the community has been amazing, and it’s been such a great opportunity with an amazing group of people.
Q: What’s your favorite thing to do in Kenmore besides run a gym?
Coral: I really like walking the Burke-Gilman, and there’s the park [ƛ̕ax̌ʷadis] right across the street from CrossFit Kenmore that’s really beautiful, and you can see a lot of wildlife.
Q: What are you most excited about heading into 2026 and beyond?
Coral: I’m just excited to help as many people as possible with their fitness goals and continue to get the word out to everybody that CrossFit is accessible for everybody. We have masters athletes. We have people in their 60’s that are training with us, and it’s really rewarding to be able to work with a wide range of people and help them live a really healthy, wonderful lifestyle.
Q: Are there any cool opportunities that people should be aware of?
Coral: There are a few things. We have a foundations fundamentals course that is a great way for people to build a solid fitness foundation. We also have classes on Sundays for 55 years and up as well as youth strength and conditioning classes.
