Cape Girardeau Curves Franchise Closes

The Cape Girardeau, MO Curves franchise has closed. According to Rudy Keller’s column in the Southeast Missourian, Tish and Bryan Gentry, who also operate fitness centers in Dexter, Mo. and West Plains, Mo. had purchased the established Curves in March 2006. According to Curves Trish Gentry, the business was in worse shape than they had thought.

According to Keller’s column, The Gentry’s gave it their best shot:

“I hired someone really great at marketing and we definitely made some huge changes but I took two steps forward and four steps back,” she said. “I finally was just going deeper and deeper financially.”

Keeping the workout center open in the face of much stiffer competition for disposable dollars than in either of her other locations played a part in the closure, Gentry said.

Gentry, who’s been a Curves franchise owner for 11 years, said she’s working with the franchisor “to find a new operator, perhaps by combining the Cape Girardeau franchise with the Jackson location.”