In yesterday’s post on the acquisition of the 1-2-3 FIT franchise chain (1-2-3 FIT Sold to Diversified Health), I pointed out that Fort Lauderdale-based Diversified Health & Fitness has been aggressively buying up the assets of dead, dying and severely wounded franchised fitness chains.
Two years of writing about and commiserating with the franchisees of these chains has left me both hopeful that Diversified HF is genuinely dedicated to helping these franchisees, and fearful that they’re not.
I concluded with an invitation to Diversified Health & Fitness to respond to my rather cynical musings, which they quickly did with the following statement.
Dear …read more

As the recent closing of the Kailu, HI Curves for Women fitness center shows, a failed franchise location is a loss for many involved.
In this case, franchise owner Robbi Ugini must deal with the personal and financial agony of defeat.  Her 5 employees are suddenly jobless.  Her 270 members are without a fitness club.  Her landlord has a vacant space, and her lender will, most likely, have a defaulted loan.  And the franchisor will not be receiving future royalties, revenue from purchases or advertising contributions.
What started as a dream ended in disappointment
According to the story by Nina Woo in …read more

(Franchise Pick)  Also read:  Is Curves for Women a Good Franchise Investment?
Franchise Dreams Becoming Nightmares for Many Fitness Club Owners
When Curves for Women franchise owner Logan Chung abruptly closed his two Chicago area fitness clubs, he left his employees without paychecks and members without a fitness program.  However, a group of members have banded together to possibly buy and reopen the Elmwood Park location, and Curves International is hoping to find a buyer for the Oak Park club.
According to the Wednesday Journal:
Two local Curves women’s fitness centers closed their doors, Aug. 31. But a spokesman for the company says they’re …read more

(Franchise Complaints)  Related posts:  THE INCHES-A-WEIGH “LICENSE”: THE PERFECT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY?
Inches-A-Weigh Franchise Failure Prompts Fraud Probe, Lawsuits
Lite for Life Offers Help to Members of Closed Inches-A-Weigh
A FranchisePick.com reader writes the following warning about the Inches A Weigh franchise opportunity:
As a former Inches a weigh owner, I would strongly urge anybody thinking of purchasing one to stop dead in your tracks, turn around and run the other way. The organization will make you all kinds of promises they are incapable of fulfilling. They are overworked, underqualified, and their methods are extremely outdated. Ask any corporate representative how many centers have closed …read more

(FranchisePick.Com)  Also read:
Curves For Women Franchise: 20% of Curves Franchises Closed in MA,
HAS CURVES FOR WOMEN ABANDONED ITS FRANCHISE OWNERS?,
Insider Advice for Curves Resale Franchise Buyers,
200+ comments: Is Curves for Women a Good Franchise Investment?
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In a recent Concord Monitor article, AG bureau looks into gym closings, Kate Davidson reports that 2 more Curves for Women franchises have closed their doors abruptly, leaving their members stranded and their owners’ dreams dashed.  Davidson writes that unhappy members who paid for services they didn’t receive have taken their complaints to the MA Attorney General :
The attorney general’s consumer protection bureau is reviewing …read more

(FranchisePick Franchise Blog)  Thanks to the readers and contributors of FranchisePick.com, our pages contain a wealth of great franchise buying advice from insiders and franchise owners you’ll find nowhere else.  If you’ve got a question, post it and you might get a thorough and insightful answer, such as this one regarding the purchase of an existing Curve fitness franchise.  Thanks to Kunst for his/her response. 
RMZ asked:
“I am considering purchasing an existing 2.5 year old franchise in a community of 4200 (2500 women with the median age being 45.5) that has one other full-service gym.
The current owner is absentee and has actually moved to …read more

 Photo:  Bobu.  Licensed by Creative Commons.
(FranchisePick.Com)  In it’s article Curves sheds a fifth of its fitness centers, BostonNow Business reports that both membership and number of Curves for women franchise clubs in Massachusetts has declined significantly in the past three years.  According to the article citing information from the Boston Business Journal:
“…Owned by local franchisees, last year the number of Curves gyms in Massachusetts dropped 20 percent to 156 from 194 in 2006, and was down nearly 30 percent from the 218 sites that were operating in 2005, according to research by the Boston Business Journal. Membership levels in the state …read more

(FranchisePick.Com)  Where Would Jesus Work Out?
Ever ask yourself that question?  Me neither, but I bet it would be at Lord’s Gym.
According to the Nashville Business Journal, a group of entrepreneurs including Off the Grill founder Alan Thompson is launching a “faith-based retail and fitness business” with plans to franchise the concept.
Their group, Club Management Systems LLC, plan to open Community Life Centre in 13,500 square feet of space in May, 2008  in Spring Hill, TN. The Centre will include a fitness center – the Lord’s Gym – an Off the Grill franchise, coffee shop and a dry cleaner.
According to the article:  “Partnering on the venture …read more