Fitness chain backed by Drew Brees to expand in region

Stretch Zone, a nationwide chain of stretching studios whose investors include former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, will open its 200th location — and 48th in Florida — June 27 in St. Petersburg.

The St. Pete Stretch Zone, according to a news release, will be owned and operated by franchisees Joe Morrissey and Steven Cox and located at 327 11th Ave. N. It will offer practitioner-assisted stretching sessions to help enhance quality of life.

“From the way we stretch to the way we franchise, no one can do it like Stretch Zone. We are often imitated but never duplicated by our competitors, which is why franchising into new markets has been crucial for our team,” Stretch Zone CEO Tony Zaccario states in the release. “Not only have we opened 100 locations in under a year, driving us to 200 studios, we are also proud that not one studio has closed. We are confident that Joe and the St. Pete Stretch Zone team will have massive success for years to come.”

Stretch Zone, the release states, also plans to open new locations in Chicago, Dallas and Anchorage on June 27. Brees, who’s also a member of the Stretch Zone board of directors, retired from the NFL in March 2021 after a 20-year career with the Saints and San Diego Chargers.