Community Chat

[dex]

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.

[Bri36]

That's too bad.

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

[151949]

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.

[2blonde]

@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.

[dex]

@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.

[chrystaltree]

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.

[2blonde]

@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.

[dex]

@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.

[SeaMaiden]

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

[chrystaltree]

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@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.

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       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.