topic Re: Gym closing in Community Chat

Gym closing

dex — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 14:53:40 GMT

I am so sad that the place I love to go to five days a week will no longer be open.I have been a member for almost ten years along with most of the other regulars.There is a group of about fifteen that plans to find another gym for us to continue enjoying our workouts together.This gym has had many problems staying open but in the eleventh hour we would get a reprieve.This time will not be the same and the building will be converted to contain smaller more affordable rental spaces.We all have become very close friends over the years and we all lost something treasured and loved.

Re: Gym closing

Bri36 — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 14:58:42 GMT

That's too bad.

Hopefully, you all can find somewhere to continue your work outs!

Re: Gym closing

151949 — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 15:13:41 GMT

That is unfortunate. I know you do get to be friends with the people you go to exercise class with. I would not like to have to go somewhere else. In our small town the only place to exercise is the YMCA. I can go there on any given day and run into about 1/3 of my neighbors.

Re: Gym closing

2blonde — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 15:51:07 GMT

@dex I understand completely. I may be in a similar situation. I've been a member of the same fitness club for 37 years. For the last 30 of those I've been attending at the current building.......I was there the day it opened brand new. There have been so many friendships made there that it's really fun for me to go, even though the ownership has changed several times, and the building has fallen into disrepair.

Last September, the last of the original 3 A/C units died. The owners have a total of 5 gyms, but they will need about $30,000 to replace the A/C in ours. The other buildings are of similar age, so they may end up having to do similar work on those (they are not very close to mine). There are rumors they may close rather than fork up the money. If it goes up to 65 outside, it goes up to 90 upstairs in the workout area (it's right over the heated pool). I'm really worried they may close it.

Re: Gym closing

dex — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 15:59:57 GMT

@2blonde You really have a history with that gym.I sure hope that the owners can find the money to make repairs or relocate somewhere close.It doesn't sound too positive though if they have already allowed the other air conditioners to remain broken.Gyms have a hard time staying in business...rents are so high,costs are high and membership dues are low.There are just so many new places opening with low fees and they stay open for a couple of years and then they are done.The rent at my gym is 15,000 a month and that only part of the monthly expenses.

Re: Gym closing

chrystaltree — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 16:12:49 GMT

Call me practical and realistic but if I belonged to a gym that wasn't cutting it and was always in financial trouble, I'd have found another one before now. I'm sure your group will find another place to work out and it will probably be a better one.

Re: Gym closing

2blonde — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 16:35:17 GMT

@dex In my case, the owners actually own the building and land, even though it's located at the end of a small strip shopping center. If they had just been leasing, they would have let it go years ago. When I first started there, there was NO competition around, so they were able to charge new members $40 or $50/mo. Now, there are other gym options (they each have their drawbacks), so they've had to lower their fees drastically to compete. I personally only pay $120 once per year. They also have the added cost of maintaining a pool, sauna, showers, and the surrounding grounds. The lower cost gyms don't have those added expenses.

Re: Gym closing

dex — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 16:44:59 GMT

@chrystaltree I hope you are right but I doubt it.We have never had to lock up a thing because nobody would even consider stealing.We hold parties for each others birthdays at the gym.We visit anyone who is sick and support each other when there is a need.It is more than a gym and even our last owner said that he had never seen another like it.

Re: Gym closing

SeaMaiden — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 17:26:25 GMT

move to where I live... there is a huge gym on almost every street corner.. they have taken over....

Re: Gym closing

chrystaltree — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 19:58:03 GMT

@dex wrote:
@chrystaltree I hope you are right but I doubt it.We have never had to lock up a thing because nobody would even consider stealing.We hold parties for each others birthdays at the gym.We visit anyone who is sick and support each other when there is a need.It is more than a gym and even our last owner said that he had never seen another like it.

I know, change is hard. But the thing that made your gym experience so wonderful was the friendhsips, the camraderie and the support. Of course things will change, the new gym might not be as "homey" and "clubby" but you can continue socializing outside of the gym. Your group has choice, brood about something that ran it's course and is over or find a new place and enjoy working out and and continue your friendships.

Re: Gym closing

dex — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 20:52:00 GMT

@chrystaltree Thanks...I know you are right but I just felt like I needed a little woe is me.

Re: Gym closing

Shanus — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 23:31:36 GMT

@dex. So sorry you're being misplaced. My gym was disgustingly filthy....locker rooms disgusting. A group of us were planning to quit when news came that a huge company was buying out the gym, taking it over, cleaning it up & making it better.

What they didn't tell us is that the fees would go up sky high. We ended up leaving and enjoy the new gym much more. Sometimes change is good. I hope you enjoy your new gym & workouts.

Re: Gym closing

dex — Sat, 18 Mar 2017 00:07:38 GMT

@Shanus Thanks I hope it works out because it was the best.

Re: Gym closing

AuntG — Sat, 18 Mar 2017 01:05:36 GMT

@chrystaltree wrote:
Call me practical and realistic but if I belonged to a gym that wasn't cutting it and was always in financial trouble, I'd have found another one before now. I'm sure your group will find another place to work out and it will probably be a better one.

----------

No, I generally call you something else.

Re: Gym closing

chrystaltree — Sat, 18 Mar 2017 01:37:59 GMT

@AuntG wrote:
@chrystaltree wrote:
Call me practical and realistic but if I belonged to a gym that wasn't cutting it and was always in financial trouble, I'd have found another one before now. I'm sure your group will find another place to work out and it will probably be a better one.
----------
No, I generally call you something else.

Thank you so much, I think you are lovely person too.

Re: Gym closing

2blonde — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 15:36:06 GMT

@dex wrote:
@2blonde You really have a history with that gym.I sure hope that the owners can find the money to make repairs or relocate somewhere close.It doesn't sound too positive though if they have already allowed the other air conditioners to remain broken.Gyms have a hard time staying in business...rents are so high,costs are high and membership dues are low.There are just so many new places opening with low fees and they stay open for a couple of years and then they are done.The rent at my gym is 15,000 a month and that only part of the monthly expenses.

@dex @chrystaltree Well it happened yesterday. My friend went to our gym to work out, and there was the dreaded sign on the door. She texted me right away. We are both devastated that there are many people we love interacting with that we will likely never see again. Yes, we will find a new gym, but we will sorely miss those friendships that took many years to develop. Unfortunately, we had no warning (other than instinct), and we have no contact info for most of the others. There is another gym in the area where some members had gone previously, so I'm hoping to see some of them there. Of course, I'll need to fork up some more money.......my year was already paid through July at the old gym.

Re: Gym closing

SharkE — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 19:34:53 GMT

i got a recumbent I do 30 minutes on 3-4 days a week.

wouldn't want to be seen by others. LOL

Re: Gym closing

2blonde — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 14:58:55 GMT

@dex Just thought you might want to know. I had mentioned that my gym closed unexpectedly (sort of) last Sunday. Through many texts and word of mouth (everybody has contact with somebody), most of us decided on a new gym. I went there for the first time last night, and I will be joining this week. A large number of my friends were already there, and we were all glad to see each other again. It's much larger than the old one, and as predicted, the other members are not friendly, but we will make it work!

Re: Gym closing

dex — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 16:02:16 GMT

@2blonde Just wait till those other members see how much fun you guys have working out together and they will be envious.we are in the process of finding a gym for about 25 of us...how big was your group?I hope you all learn to love the new gym as much.I keep telling myself that it is not so much about the home, more about the people in it....think that's how the saying goes.

So do they have nice equipment and interesting classes that you all plan to try out?

Re: Gym closing

2blonde — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 18:43:59 GMT

@dex wrote:
@2blonde Just wait till those other members see how much fun you guys have working out together and they will be envious.we are in the process of finding a gym for about 25 of us...how big was your group?I hope you all learn to love the new gym as much.I keep telling myself that it is not so much about the home, more about the people in it....think that's how the saying goes.
So do they have nice equipment and interesting classes that you all plan to try out?

@dex Actually the new gym is much larger and has more equipment. They also have lots of classes and a theater room, and it's very well maintained with a competent and friendly staff. If I sign up for 2 years it will only be $20/mo + tax.

Our core group is probably only about the size of yours, but it appears the whole membership is moving to this same gym. According to the manager, within 2 days they already had signed 65 people from my old gym, and I hadn't even been there yet! The only drawback is it's pretty crowded and the current members act like you are invisible. Most of us are in our 50's or 60's, but they are mostly younger people. I can imagine how overjoyed they are to have all us older folks piling in on them!