CURVES franchise owners don’t get a helping hand when they fail. No thank you card or best wishes. Just legal threats and a demand for tens of thousands of dollars.
Curves has new ownership, but not much has changed in the lack-of-compassion department.
Curves franchise owners who are unable to save their failing clubs (more than half of Curves clubs have failed) still should not expect a helping hand from Curves International.
They shouldn’t expect a nice letter thanking them for building the Curves brand, for paying years of royalties, for enabling Gary Heavin to strut like an altruistic peacock on national TV and cash out with an untold fortune.
What they can expect is a legal demand for the future royalties they would have had to pay if they hadn’t run out of money and could stay open to the end of their contract.
And they can expect Curves International to tell them they don’t actually own the equipment they paid for, and they should return it.
aussie z wrote:
Well I closed my club at the end of June, 4 years prior to the end of my agreement.
I did everything that CI wanted me to do in regards to closing.
I did not give them my equipment or CS [Curves Smart]I figured that I paid good money for it so I will do what I want with it.
I received a letter of demand for $64,000 to be paid within 7 days (what a joke).
I asked them to review this amount as I had no money, I then got another email telling me the figure was now $17,000, again I explained that I had no money and then a month later I got a letter delivered to my home signed by a person I have never heard of in the 6 years I have been dealing with Curves (must be from the new people who have taken over) telling me that I owe $64,000 again.
I sent an email to this person and have not heard anything since, it has now been a month since I received that letter.
I know that this will not be the last I hear from them but they will not be getting a red cent out of me. The restraints they put on you regarding getting rid of the equipment is ridiculous, there is no brand name on the equipment so what right do they have?
If they want my CS they can pay me the $12,000 I paid for it. I will not let CI bully me into anything and I will help anyone else who is being bullied by them. They need to be stopped.
In Australia we have gone from over 400 clubs in 2006 to 283 in 2012 with still many in the process of closing. I think that Curves has run its course over here and I would encourage any owner who has a profitable club to try and get rid of it before its too late. CI are putting to much emphasis on Curves Complete, I personally think it is a rip off. None of the members I had would have been able to afford the $199-$299.
I am so stressless since closing my club BUT I do miss my incredible members everyday.
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Hi! I am unhappy about the franchisee. We just purchase it from another who was bankrupt.
I am a current Curves owner, I am a multi club owner. Curves is a great workout! I love what I do. Unfortunately, the peeps at corporate are in it for themselves and are very fake. Pretending to be overly Christian, condescending and self righteous. Also racist. Yes, I do work well over 40 hrs a week, but I am enjoying a profit at both locations. Curves is not supportive of their failing franchisees. I have heard the Area Directors say they cannot hold everyone's hand. But what they can do, is have redundant, boring meetings. Material shared is so repetitious. And they make you watch god awful videos. And not to mention Club Camp. Training for idiots. And they have an Area Director, who sold a Curves to another owner. Like wow! This area director's club, had holes in the ceilings, holes in the wall, tattered, donated furniture, wires coming out of the ceiling, and everything looked like it belonged in the ghetto. They have this AD doing training and as the facilitator, she talks about club image and appearance and how to manage that. How can I woman who could not clean up the image of her club, preach to others about club image?
Christina Russell along with other corporate employees, are very condescending and talk down to people. They are fake, hold shit back and only share what they think is necessary.
Lastly, Curves pretty much employs all white people. They don't even bother to fill the minority quota. Go to their Conventions or meetings, and you will see I am talking about.
To those struggling, I empathize with you. It is not easy watching your baby sink. Those who closed their doors, consider yourself fortunate; you are no longer part of a system, that ultimately is in for themselves. You don't have to deal with the corporate idiots, that act like they are their to help you and support you. They are in it for themselves.
If I knew what I now know about Curves, profit set aside, I would have never bought into the company.
Did you get SBA loan for Curves? Was the loan officer aware that SBA loan was not serviceable from the business income?
Kudos to you Pam!! Thanks for telling it like it is!! Buying a curves is nothing but a corporate nightmare....too bad, because the members are all so sweet! I did a survey on club appearance in my club, out of 105 surveys completed, 103 did not want anything to change in the club...they love the personal appearance, the pet bulletin board, the book exchange, birthday board etc....they feel its their home away from home, and they are very upset about the requirements to change it!! My club is clean, fresh paint, new carpet, no wires or holes etc...but we have our own special things too, however that all has to go away, even though its upsetting to the members! So much for loving caring support, which is what corporate says we are but doesnt do!!! Why dont they walk the talk!
Hope i have contacted the lawyer thru Dady and Gardner in Minneapolis. I just sent some paperwork over for him to review and i will be talking with Mr Ronald Gardner himself on Monday morning 12/18/12 at 11:00. I will let everybody know what i find out. Said he has done many Curves cases and is very familiar with the franchise agreements and all.
I love what all you said Pam!!! Thank you for sharing with us.
Hope my members also are upset over all the new changes. My club was freshly painted in the Curves colors again right before i bought it. The club always was and still is spotless. My members always comment on that. A few of members yesterday said they would write to Curves International on my behalf. Im sure all of them would. I haven't told them yet that im thinking of closing at the end of February. Will give them at least a months notice. Just dont see any other way
I am so glad to hear from other Curves owners with respect to the new corporate executives, Curves Complete, etc. Our Curves is very clean and very well decorated. The paint is new, the carpet new, and every thing is color cordinated. Our members love the way it looks and smells when they come in the door, and all have expressed the fact that they do not want anything to change. We spent a lot of money making sure our club is a very pleasant place to exercise. We are very unhappy about the way we are being required to make changes, which we cannot afford. We are barely keeping the doors open and corporate is assuming that the franchises have the money to comply with their demands.
What a joke that Cleveland Clinic Certification is. Curves has always preached "keep it simple". If I had wanted to be a phycologist I would have gone to school for that. That was a waste of time and, not to mention, money!
Has anyone been visited by the "secret spy (shopper)? That is also a joke. I for one could care less if they send someone to spy on us. I think corporate is continually trying to control us in a cult like manner.
One last comment. We had a lady visit our club and commented that it was the nicest club she had ever visited!
Connie, I was visited by a secret spy shopper and my AD told me I scored low, and this is after I spent time, money on all the paint and changes they demanded!! And I still scored low!! My members are soooooo upset with the changes, I had a100 surveys that said they did not want any changes, they loved the club...they have called corporate and filed complaints they have sent emails and corporate doesnt care...! My AD said that since I didnt score 80% they would be sending out another secret shopper and they will charge me 250 dollars!!!!!!!! This is insanity!!! Someone please stop the insanity!!!!
Hope:
Did they tell you why they gave you a low score? They are going to charge you $250 for the spy's fee or $250 if you get another low score?
The majority of our members are over 65. They are not interested in Curves Complete. They are here to keep in shape, socialize and stay healthy. CI should have done some research in the small towns. I am assuming they only researched the cities with large populations, where it is feasible to get 66 new members a quarter. Not in my little town!