Cornerstone Health & Fitness

Getting people fit to get more out of life.
By Alina Makhnovetsky

With close to thirty years in the health and fitness business, one would think it’s time to take a little breather. This doesn’t seem to be the case for Jim Bishop, owner of Cornerstone Health & Fitness. With two locations, New Hope and Doylestown, Bishop’s passion for getting people to take advantage of the benefits of exercise is greater than ever.

Encouraging people, who lack motivation or interest in a consistent exercise regime, is no small feat. However, if there is a spark of hope, a few visits to Cornerstone Health & Fitness may reveal a new perspective. Bishop compares his business to a restaurant, one of the many analogies he uses to change minds and sometimes lives. “When you finished your meal [at a restaurant] one tends to evaluate the overall experience and not just the food. The waiter’s service can make up for ‘an okay meal,’ the ambience can enhance the overall experience, and the food sometimes is just one part of the whole outing,” says Bishop. “It’s the same with exercising in a health club, it’s not the equipment, or even just the exercise that gets someone committed to a healthy lifestyle, but rather the overall experience.” Cornerstone continuously tweaks its recipe to provide just the right mix of equipment, knowledgeable, passionate and focused staff, and an extraordinary variety of exercise programs. The continuous adjustment of ingredients provides the exercise environment that encourages people to keep coming back.

In addition to its Doylestown Health and Fitness location, Cornerstone recently added a second site in New Hope that is seemingly more a retreat than a typical exercise facility, especially given its serene view of woods and surrounding landscapes. Following the concept of the overall experience being the factor of promoting health and fitness, The TreeHouse has outdone itself. Providing classes in nutrition, life coaching, as well as Pilates, Yoga and Tai Chi programs, many have claimed it to be a “one hour getaway, right around the corner.” Since 1995, the Doylestown location has a wide variety of activities that has evolved from suggestions of new and long time members. “This business is all about creating an environment to encourage people to exercise on a regular basis, realize the benefits and commit to an active lifestyle for the rest of their lives,” suggests Bishop.

“The facilities are impeccably clean, the equipment is terrific and the staff is unmatched,” says Jill Fonte, a member at the Cornerstone in New Hope. Although, Fonte admits she is not one of those people who need extra incentive to exercise, she is convinced Cornerstone is the ideal club for anyone. “It feels more like a private club, everyone calls you by name, the instructors are always top notch and it is quite evident Jim and Eileen pay attention to their business and adhere to customer feedback,” says Fonte.

Hoping to shed some weight brought on by a stressful job, Joe Marigliano joined the Cornerstone in New Hope last November. A 30-pound lighter Marigliano remarkably managed to lose the weight over the holiday season, and contributes much of his success to the group exercise classes, cardio workouts and support. “The group classes keep you motivated and on rough days you essentially get carried through,” says Marigliano.

With hundreds of success stories and gracious testimonials accumulated over the years, Bishop was asked what seems to be the single factor for Cornerstone’s success. And with no hesitation he stated, “It’s the people.” Apparently, the dream of opening a health club began as a teenager. A dream that in those days was unrealistic. “I would not have been able to fulfill this dream without the unlimited support of my wife, family and wonderful staff,” Bishop claims. “I have been blessed to surround myself with the right people who have become family, sincerely committed to making a difference in people’s lives. Together, we have created supportive environments that can benefit everyone who visits us. And we’re on a mission to get everyone to realize that.”

Doylestown’s Cornerstone Health & Fitness is located at 740 Edison-Furlong Road and can be reached at (215) 794-3700. The New Hope location is at 415 South York Road and can be reached at (215) 862-2200. The TreeHouse is directly behind the New Hope location and can be contacted at the same number. For more information, visit www.cornerstoneclubs.com.

Alina Makhnovetsky is a freelance writer and lives in Philadelphia, PA.