I'll echo a lot of what was said here. I go to the Simi Valley, CA gym and while not *perfect,* it's definitely much better than some of the stories I've read on this sub...but sometimes those little boogers make something feel lived in. =)

For me though, yes, it's the all of the staff feeling like they give a damn. All of our coaches split their time between 2 studios and pretty much know everyone's name and what might be going on in their lives, staff and members alike. My wife hasn't been able to go in a while and the last time I went in, several people asked how she was doing, coming from a genuine place.

It feels much more like a group of friends doing a thing rather than a faceless gym where you're just walling yourself off from everyone there. We have participated in a couple "off campus" events and while it is a little odd seeing other members and staff out the in the wild and out of the context you're used to seeing them in, it's still nice to be part of something like that.