In response to yesterday’s post CHRYSLER Dealers to Fight Closings, Franchise Pick reader Judy writes that Chrysler’s ploy is a shell game to make the American public think they have done something constructive through their bankruptcy filing in order to validate receiving bailout money.
Judy writes:
These dealerships are individually owned local businesses not Chrysler operations. These guys should be culled through economic attrition as is the American way, not notified they have to shut down in less than 30 days.
At least GM right now is winding down, not immediately terminating franchise agreements and they are also offering an appeal process to …read more

According to the Unhappy Franchisee post CHRYSLER: Dealers to Fight Back, the Chrysler National Dealer Council has said that Chrysler dealers will soon launch their legal opposition to the company’s plan to revoke 789 franchise agreements.
Chrysler is seeking the court’s permission to revoke 789 dealers’ franchises as part of its Chapter 11 restructuring. Chrysler is seeking to revoke dealer agreements on June 9, and to emerge within 6 weeks as a “new” Chrysler alliance with Italy’s Fiat.
According  CHRYSLER: Dealers to Fight Back, “Car dealers have long assumed that they are protected by the state franchise …read more

According to a post on Unhappy Franchisee (Curves Franchisee Blames Economy for Closing), the Albany, MN Curves shut its doors for good, and franchise owner Carol Smith blames the recession.
Smith also owns another nearby Curves.  The Albany Curves had been open for six years; Smith had owned it for two years.  According to the post, Smith contends the economy was to blame for the membership decreasing from more than 100 two years ago to about 45 at the time of closing.
Is the recession really to blame?  Or the club doomed from the start?
A frequent complaint of struggling Curves owners is …read more

According to Butterfly Life CEO Mark Golob, rumors of the women’s fitness chain’s death have been greatly exaggerated.
The rumors had been rampant in recent weeks as emails were not returned, phone lines to the corporate office had been disconnected, and the company website disappeared.
Stuart Goldman, managing editor of Club Industry’s Fitness Business Pro, managed to speak to Mark Golob today about the Butterfly Life mystery.  Golob said that the company was strong, though it had downsized and they had moved to a smaller office in San Ramon.  Golob stated that the website will be back online in the next …read more

(FranchisePick.com Franchise Blog) Related stories: Make & Take Gourmet: Meal Prep Franchisor Takes Failures in Stride, Patrons of Failed Franchise Blast Make and Take Gourmet Franchisor Bellso, Meal Prep Franchisor Blames Franchisees…
What a difference two months makes!
Back in June, Make & Take Gourmet franchise founder Michele Bellso was claiming that the tiny NY meal assembly franchise company was thriving. An Unhappy Franchisee post on Make & Take Gourmet quoted Bellso’s aggressive growth plans:
Michele Bellso, founder and president of Make & Take Gourmet, says the company isn’t even close to reaching its full potential. Since May 2006, …read more

For months now, FranchisePick.com readers have been warning that LA Weight Loss Centers will begin closing in the same manner that Pure Weight Loss centers closed before them:  with no warning and leaving members owed hundreds and thousands of dollars in prepaid services likely they’ll never and products they may never get.
Well, here come the closings:
LA WEIGHT LOSS: Multiple Centers Close in KY
LA WEIGHT LOSS: 4 Weight Loss Centers Closing in CO
LA WEIGHT LOSS: Terre Haute, IN Center Closed
LA WEIGHT LOSS: Evansville, IN Center Closes
Recent Postings:
LA Weight Loss Tosses Client Files in Dumpster
LA Weight Loss Center …read more

(FranchisePick.com) Pure Weight Loss Adds Insult to Injury Part 1: Pure Weight Loss Members, out thousands of dollars from the company’s abrupt closure, have their refund claim forms returned as undeliverable. Add lost time, postage costs, aggravation.
Pure Weight Loss Adds Insult to Injury Part 2: Pure Weight Loss offers stranded members discounts to an program… a program not available in their area.
Announcing Pure Weight Loss Adds Insult to Injury Part 3: Bounced refund checks… and NSF bank charges.
On HOW MUCH DOES PURE WEIGHT LOSS OWE YOU? FranchisePick.Com contributor and ex-Pure Weight Loss (LA Weight Loss) …read more