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JACKED UP
PRESIDENT
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Joined: 06 Jun 2003
Posts: 21238
Location: www.johnnydu.com
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 Posted: 04/20/05 - 08:56 Post subject: The competition. Business related.
My gym has been in business for 5 1/2 years. I started out as a member for a year before becoming an employee for a couple years and then coming in as an owner 1 1/2 years ago. 2 years ago a well known ladies only fitness chain opened right down the street, Curves. We were amazed our gym survived as long as it had really in a town of just less than 3000. Keep in mind my gym started by 5 people none with a knowledge of exercise of fitness what so ever. This was just done as a service to the community truly.
So when Curves opened we didn't know what to expect but I just figured our town wasn't big enough to support 2 gyms basically. Some people, mainly business owners were not happy that the owner of our Curves was not from our town so some tax dollars left our town and went to hers. We never openly said bad things about the place. In fact I, being the only one of the group with fitness knowledge, was rather glad knowing some of those women who would never step foot in my gym still had a place to exercise. After all, that's what it's all about to me anyway. As long as you're exercising it doesn't matter where to me truly.
Within the first year Curves was opened talk was that she had more than 400 members. My Grandma and the Curves owners Grandma were friends and I would hear things now and then there and just around town. Business was booming supposedly for her and oddly, our membership was on a steady increase as well. I heard some not nice things she had said about my gym like "oh when you get tired of working out for and hour and a half everyday come see me where you get the same workout in half an hour. Kinda pist me off but I said nothing.
So a month ago, outta the blue, she sells her Curves franchise to a MAN and his wife who also own another in a nearby town as well. I heard from one of the employees there that there was no warning or clue this was gonna happen. Just a "oh BTW at 2:00 today I sign papers to sell the business.  But she is gonna stay on and manage it.  Anyway if things are so wondeful and profitable WTF?
Now over the past month I have been getting women from there into the gym. And I heard from an employee there that things are not going well there. They have lost at least 25 members in the last 3 weeks, the new owners are not friendly and have no people skills. And working out in front of a man when many women joined just for the all ladies thing anyway. Lots of unhappy women. So as an added bonus to them I have been offering a free month membership just for them to come in and see if they like it. I give 2 weeks anyway to anyone who walks in the door so I'm just giving an extra 2 weeks anyway. 
BTW, yesterday a lady came in to look around she is a Curves member currently and said they told her not to eat apples, too many carbs.  Again, my response is WTF???
So what's the competition like in your business, do you even know. Is this something just business owners think about?
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BamBam
Member
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Joined: 05 Sep 2002
Posts: 2974
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Posted: 04/20/05 - 08:59 Post subject:
Challenge them to a game of Dodgeball
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robp
Pyromaniac
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Joined: 26 Jul 2002
Posts: 16242
Location: Waiting in line at the beer store...
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Posted: 04/20/05 - 09:00 Post subject:
No competition here.... we are sole source. the Navy loves us.
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j1miller
Puppy Love!
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Joined: 07 Jul 2002
Posts: 15447
Location: Lost on trail.
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Posted: 04/20/05 - 09:04 Post subject:
I'm currently working on a loan for the startup of a curves franchise.
hmmmmm
let me say that again
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
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MastrBrewr
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
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Joined: 24 Sep 2003
Posts: 6974
Location: outside
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Posted: 04/20/05 - 09:09 Post subject:
no competition here (unless you want to count private schools).
Jacked, that's a very common story among health clubs: owners selling suddenly. My sis and BIL are instructors at many of the local clubs, most are chains. Almost every couple of months something changes and the employees & patrons are left in the dark. The last time was a month or so ago: the place went belly up - instructors were owed about 2 months of pay and they didn't even know what was happening until creditors started repossesing equipment.
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coachmarkos
my boys could swim
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Joined: 14 May 2002
Posts: 11387
Location: 1st in AFC West
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Posted: 04/20/05 - 09:24 Post subject:
Curves is the only health type club in this town.
And, I think that's probably a good thing, that there is a place for these ladies to go.
Sounds like you are doing things right, and you know, you could always do as Bam suggests, and challenge them to a game of dodgeball.
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