Just a few minutes ago Mary Butler owner of Momentum Health Club in Richfield WI. provided the following letter to club members.
Please take a minute or so to read her message and hopefully as a Richfield Community we can get behind this one and only fitness/health club here in Richfield.
Hopefully this community can find a way to support Mary and this great and convenient opportunity she provides to Richfield as well as surrounding community residents. Thank you in advance for taking time to read her message.
- A non-franchise club, in our small community, close to your homes.
- A club where everyone is comfortable, a place where the Owner and employees know who you are and care.
- A clean, full service facility, with top notch equipment.
- Classes and Instructors that care, motivate and get results for all fitness levels.
- A place where you see your neighbors and have made new friends.
- A place many of you refer to as your "second home/family".
- An amazing health club, where people have lost thousands of pounds, built strength, increased their self-confidence and added years to their lives.
The one thing I have not been able to do is bring in enough revenue to cover operating expenses. For every $1.00 of revenue received, $1.40 has been spent on operating expenses. Last year we lowered our pricing structure, based on a consultant's recommendation, in the hopes that it would attract enough new members and raise revenue. Ultimately this decision has now proven to have been the worse one I've made and has hurt the club, reduced revenue, and has put the future of Momentum Health Club in doubt. I am now, humbly coming to you to say hindsight is 20/20 and I see that I should have never lowered the prices. In order to have a club the size of Momentum, with quality equipment, it would cost about $40.00 per person to be successful.
I had planned to announce today the club was closing effective May 22nd. However, many of you have been members for some time, and I know you care about the club as much as I do, so I've decided to let you (collectively) help decide which of the two options below you'd like me to proceed with:
Option #1 - we increase prices to $40.00 a month for 1 person, it would be an additional $25.00 to add each additional family member. All memberships would be VIP with the following benefits: club access, unlimited tanning and classes (we would no longer include guest privileges). If you currently are under a paid in full agreement, your price would not increase until your membership has expired unless you want to start to make monthly payments, in an effort to help save the club. If you are a member through your employer or Silver Sneakers, your membership would not change at all. I will need almost every current member to agree to this new structure, effective on your next payment date, in order to stay open. All memberships will be month to month, you can cancel anytime with 30 days notice. If we do stay open, the club will transition to a 24 hours a day format with key card access (during non-staffed hours). This would be an added benefit to you and hopefully would attract some additional members.
Option #2 - the club closes permanently on May 22nd. No further payments will be taken, if you paid in full you will be able to email/mail a request for a pro-rated refund and I will respond accordingly. Your options for other clubs in the area will be as follows:
Snap Fitness - 7.5 miles (11 minutes) from the club: $39.95/ mo for 1 person, $54.95 for 2
Preferred Fitness - 6 miles (10 minutes) from the club: $29.95/ mo 1 person, $50.00 for 2
Anytime Fitness - 5.3 miles (8 minutes) from the club: $42.00/ mo for 1 person, $72.00 for 2
WAC - 8 miles (15 minutes) from the club: $55.00/mo for 1 person, $94.00 for 2
Planet Fitness (Men Falls) - 7 miles (12 minutes) from the club: $10.00 - $20.00/ mo .
I truly hope that as a club we decide on option #1. I love Momentum Health Club, and am so thankful to have met so many amazing people in this community via the club. No matter what happens, I have made so many friends and helped so many people, it has been worth it! I will be at the club much of Friday, Saturday and Sunday for you to come in and let me know your decision or ask more questions. If you can't make it in, you can also call or email me to let know which option you choose. If you agree to option #1, I will have you sign an addendum to your current club agreement. On Monday the 11th, I will let everyone know if we have enough support (signatures) to keep the club open or not. Please spread the word to others you know, so they too know they have this option and ask them to come in Friday, Saturday or Sunday to "vote". I'll keep you posted.
~ Mary
Momentum Health Club
262-628-4100
mbutler@momentumhealthclub.com