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World Gym franchise in Portland closes without notice

Gym members are confused and angry after finding a note on the door that says, "We Are Moving!"

World Gym franchise in Portland closes without notice

Gym members are confused and angry after finding a note on the door that says, "We Are Moving!"

LOWER 20S WEDNESDAY PARTLY SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE MID 40S IN PORTLAND TONIGHT -- SOME MEMBERS OF A LOCAL GYM ARE ANGRY AND CONFUSED. WORLD GYM CLOSED ABRUPTLY - - LEAVING A NOTE ON THE FRONT DOOR THAT SAYS -- "WE ARE MOVING" NORAH HOGAN WENT TO THE GYM LOOKING FOR ANSWERS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON. <NORAH HOGAN> "TODAY GYM GOERS SHOWED UP EXPECTING TO GET THEIR USUAL WORKOUT IN, BUT THEY FOUND MOVING PODS AND A SIGN ON THE DOOR INSTEAD." <PETER GIMLEWICZ/GYM MEMBER> 00;31;22;14 THERE WAS NO PRIOR NEWS THAT THEY WERE MOVING." <JOE ARMSTRONG/GYM MEMBER> 00;40;55;14 "I WOULD LIKE A LITTLE NOTICE FOR SURE." THE SIGN PROVIDES AN EMAIL ADDRESS TO REACH OUT TO WITH QUESTIONS BUT GIVES NO SIGN OF WHERE THE GYM IS MOVING OR WHEN THEY'LL REOPEN. "I SAW SOME SYMPTOMS THEY KIND OF MADE ME QUESTION WHAT WAS GOING ON AT THE GYM AT THE TIME, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEY WERE JUST GOING TO UP AND CLOSE." THERE WERE SIGNS OF DISREPAIR BUT MEMBERS REMAINED LOYAL. NOW THEY'RE NOT SURE WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT. SOME HAVE PAID FOR YEAR LONG MEMBERSHIPS IN ADVANCED - THE REST HAVE AUTOMATIC PAYMENTS SCHEDULED. <JOE ARMSTRONG/GYM MEMBER> 00;39;19;29 "FORTY BUCKS EVERY TWO WEEKS." <PETER GIMLEWICZ/GYM MEMBER> 00;29;46;23 "I GOT A YEARLONG MEMBERSHIP STARTING FEBRUARY. IT WAS ACTUALLY A BIRTHDAY PRESENT FROM MY FATHER. AND SO EARLY FEBRUARY, I GOT MY MEMBERSHIP, AND I STARTED COMING HERE RELIGIOUSLY, LIKE, EVERY DAY AFTER WORK." AFTER MULTIPLE INQUIRIES WORLD GYM TELLS US THAT THEY CREATED A PARTNERSHIP WITH WORKOUT ANYTIME WHICH HAS TWO LOCATIONS IN PORTLAND AND THAT THEY'LL SOON CONTACT MEMBERS TELLIN
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World Gym franchise in Portland closes without notice

Gym members are confused and angry after finding a note on the door that says, "We Are Moving!"

World Gym members are left angry and confused after a Portland franchise closed suddenly on Wednesday. Members were surprised to find moving pods and a sign on the door that said, "We Are Moving!" when they arrived for their workouts. "There was no prior news that they were moving," said gym member Peter Gimlewicz. "I saw some symptoms that kind of made me question what was going on at the gym at the time, but I didn't know that they were just going to up and close."The sign provides an email address to reach out to with questions but gives no indication of where the gym will move and when it will reopen. Gimlewicz and other members say there were signs of disrepair around the gym leading up to the move, citing a leaky roof and a broken sauna, but the gym remained very popular with exercise enthusiasts. Members say they loved the wide array of machines, free weights and sense of community. "I got a yearlong membership starting February; it was actually a birthday present from my father and so early February, I got my membership, and I started coming here religiously, like, every day after work," said Gimlewicz. Some members, like Gimlewicz, have paid year-long memberships in advance and others have automatic payments scheduled. They're worried about losing their favorite workout spot, but they're also worried about getting their money back. After multiple requests for comment, World Gym responded to our inquiries over email, saying that all memberships will be honored at another local gym. "World Gym Portland has partnered with Workout Anytime, a locally owned and operated franchise, to honor all membership effective immediately," said a representative from World Gym. "Workout Anytime has two locations in the Portland market. A notice will soon be sent to all World Gym Portland members with more details to follow. Thank you for all the community support."Memberships at World Gym are $70 a month, while memberships at Workout Anytime are $24 monthly.

World Gym members are left angry and confused after a Portland franchise closed suddenly on Wednesday. Members were surprised to find moving pods and a sign on the door that said, "We Are Moving!" when they arrived for their workouts.

"There was no prior news that they were moving," said gym member Peter Gimlewicz. "I saw some symptoms that kind of made me question what was going on at the gym at the time, but I didn't know that they were just going to up and close."

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The sign provides an email address to reach out to with questions but gives no indication of where the gym will move and when it will reopen.

Gimlewicz and other members say there were signs of disrepair around the gym leading up to the move, citing a leaky roof and a broken sauna, but the gym remained very popular with exercise enthusiasts. Members say they loved the wide array of machines, free weights and sense of community.

"I got a yearlong membership starting February; it was actually a birthday present from my father and so early February, I got my membership, and I started coming here religiously, like, every day after work," said Gimlewicz.

Some members, like Gimlewicz, have paid year-long memberships in advance and others have automatic payments scheduled. They're worried about losing their favorite workout spot, but they're also worried about getting their money back.

After multiple requests for comment, World Gym responded to our inquiries over email, saying that all memberships will be honored at another local gym.

"World Gym Portland has partnered with Workout Anytime, a locally owned and operated franchise, to honor all membership effective immediately," said a representative from World Gym. "Workout Anytime has two locations in the Portland market. A notice will soon be sent to all World Gym Portland members with more details to follow. Thank you for all the community support."

Memberships at World Gym are $70 a month, while memberships at Workout Anytime are $24 monthly.