Hidden Gems: Meet Amanda Gruen of Row House Santa Monica

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Gruen.

Hi Amanda, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Amanda and her husband Adam’s journey with Row House began with Amanda’s lifelong love of rowing—rooted in her experience as a coxswain for the University of Michigan crew team—and her passion for fitness not just as a workout, but as a path to mental health, wellness, and community. Driven by that vision, they opened their Row House doors in early 2020, only to face the immediate challenge of a pandemic shutdown. Refusing to let that stop them, they became one of the first gyms in Los Angeles to bring the full studio experience outdoors, complete with turf, intensity, and music—proving that fitness, resilience, and community could thrive even in the toughest times.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Since opening, Row House Santa Monica has weathered challenge after challenge—launching just as Covid shut the world down, enduring the George Floyd riots that shook downtown Santa Monica, and navigating an oversaturated boutique fitness market in an already tough location. More recently, the Palisades fire devastated much of the local community, impacting many of our members and touching us personally as both Adam and Amanda live in the Palisades themselves. Despite the hardships of operating a small business in downtown Santa Monica, the Row House mission has stayed strong: fostering resilience, wellness, and community no matter what obstacles come our way.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Row House Santa Monica is more than a fitness studio—it’s a community built on the foundation of rowing, one of the most effective and inclusive full-body workouts. We specialize in low-impact, high-intensity group fitness that’s accessible to all fitness levels, blending strength, cardio, and rhythm on the rower with powerful music and coaching. What sets us apart is our commitment to not just physical fitness, but to mental health, lifestyle wellness, and the bonds built through shared effort. We’re most proud of the community we’ve created—a space where people feel supported, challenged, and connected. Whether it’s your first time on the rower or you’re chasing a big milestone, our classes, coaches, and culture are designed to meet you where you are and help you row stronger—together.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
The success of Row House Santa Monica is built on three key pillars: our incredible community, our amazing coaches, and the power of rowing itself. The community truly drives our machine—our members lift each other up, celebrate milestones together, and create the energy that makes every class special. Our coaches bring passion, expertise, and motivation that keep people coming back, while rowing remains the star of the show: a low-impact, full-body workout that delivers real, visible results quickly. Together, these elements create an environment where people don’t just work out—they thrive.

Pricing:

• $7 for 7 days of unlimited classes

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.therowhouse.com/location/santa-monica
• Instagram: @rowhousesantamonica
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RowHouseSantaMonica?mibextid=wwXIfr
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rowhousesantamonica1793?feature=shared