Tuesday, October 8, 2013

BodyFit Athletic Club To Close

Some sad news from Chris, owner of BodyFit:

After 8½ years of operation in Uptown, BodyFit Athletic Club has opted not to sign another long-term lease at its current location and will close on Wednesday, October 30th at 5:00 pm.

We wish to thank the members who have supported us, as well as the dedicated employees who have made exercising a more pleasant experience.

While we will no longer be in operation as you currently know us, BodyFit Athletic Club Personal Training will open Monday, November 11, at 4747 N. Clark Street.  For information about one-on-one, partner, or small group training in a private setting, please call 773-791-6451.

Thank you.

11 comments:

  1. It's sad to see this business close and another vacant space along this strip.... But it also does not surprise me, as the prices are not competitive with other gyms who offer a lot more. Within the past two weeks, I was actually thinking about signing up with them, only because of the conveyant location, but I am now glad I never acted on it.

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  2. Jason, small independent businesses in your neighborhood have a much higher overhead per customer than many of your larger businesses. And there is a better value for your neighborhood having these small independent business around. The owner of this place employed your neighbors. They spent their paychecks in your neighborhood, whether it was necessities like food and rent, or entertainment in your local bars and restaurants. Any taxes collected by the city from this business helped your neighborhood than larger corporate-owned businesses. You lament the number of empty storefronts in your neighborhood, but you and your neighbors who "never acted" have, instead chosen to act in other neighborhoods and neglect your own. Check with the alderman's office and see how much business you do in other parts of the city, in essence putting businesses in your own neighborhood in jeopardy of closing. Maybe if you had acted, and many others in the area had acted, you wouldn't be faced with another vacant storefront in a neighborhood littered with them. The best thing you can do to perpetuate negativity is nothing. The best thing you can do to enliven your own neighborhood is patronize your local, independently owned business. Jason, you personally put several of your neighbors out of work because you chose to not act and support a local business. I am very sure these people are glad to be your neighbor and appreciate your support.

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    1. You are way out of line attacking Jason, "you personally put several of your neighbors out of work...". Oh, so if only Jason had spent more of his money than he really could or needed to in order to join a gym, his ONE membership would have kept that place open? I looked into joining this gym, but I too thought it was too expensive for what it offered. World Gym offered a much better value for my dollar. And I know for fact that the World Gym employs my neighbors who spend money in Uptown. I don't know who works at this gym or where they live or spend money and I am not assuming it is in Uptown because the gym is located here. The residents of Uptown don't owe it to any business owner to pay more for a product or service than they need to just to prop up that business, especially when there are better options within Uptown. Sorry, my and anyone else's first loyalty and obligation goes to our own economic needs and you and anyone else who thinks I owe it to them to spend more of my limited financial resources than I need to for a good or service in order to prop them and their failed business model up can just really go.....

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    2. Chuck save your lecture. I was a member of said gym till I got fed up with Chris's attitude. He acted like his sh** did not stink. Someone should have told the dude customers pay his bills and salary. I go where I am treated with respect, whether it be a corporate entity or a small business. Just too many gyms in the area for me to be treated with indifference when I walk through their door. No sympathy here!

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  4. Wow, this is very sad. This is a wonderful place with a phenomenal staff and lovely facility.

    Keep in mind that the closing of Borders hurt all of the businesses on that stretch. They all need our support, or more of them could go the way of Bodyfit.

    If we want businesses in our community to thrive, we cannot only shop at Target and Jewel, or go out of our ward for simple things that are right here. You may go to Taget and save a few bucks, but for only a few dollars more (literally, a few dollars) you could support the small businesses that we all want to see on our corners. And sometimes, our local places are cheaper than big chains. Need a bottle of wine? How about Rayan's instead of Jewel and Target? Coffee and breakfast? How about Baker and Nosh instead of Einstein's? Brunch? How about Tiztal our Cousins instead of Nookies? Sushi? How about Agami instead of Andersonville? It takes the people of our local Uptown community to make this happen. The alderman can't do it for us.

    And to compare membership rates for Bodyfit to those of other large gyms does not make sense. Bodyfit was a small, and convenient neighborhood location. Of course they are going to have slightly higher rates. I did my comparison shopping and for a mere $10 more a month than most huge gyms, Bodyfit offered what is necessary. And it was available without the hassle of contracts, etc. If anything, their rates could have been slightly higher. So sad.

    We'll miss you Chris and staff.

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  5. I used to live in the Border's building which actually has a fitness room, but I had a membership at Bodyfit because it was so convenient. I lost 40 pounds going to that gym. But Uptown loses much more.

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  6. As somebody who has been a member of Cheetah gym, World Gym, and most recently BodyFit, I feel qualified to put in my two cents. BodyFit was very clean and very well maintained, but they really needed more space to offer classes, etc. Considering the lack of classes, and the lack of what I consider some basic exercise equipment (pre-weighted barbells and curl bars, dip station, decline bench) the price was too high. Sadly, in business, you've got to go big or go home. If this business had expanded over the years, it could have become a DESTINATION and not simply a place people go to because they live near it. Then again, owning a gym must be harder than it seems, because Ballys couldn't do it either. And Cheetah gym almost closed a few years ago and is now under new ownership. In any case, I am sad to see another empty storefront.

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  7. They aren't closing really -- just moving. Still in Uptown?

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    1. The gym is closing. Chris will have a studio for his personal-training clients (and only them) at a new studio on Clark.

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  8. Sad to see Bodyfit go. Alan and Chris are good people.

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