Posted July 24, 2017 1:03 pm by

Gym closes abruptly

A Connecticut gym closes abruptly and a trainer and member are saying they’re having a hard time getting their money.

SNAP Fitness on West Main in Avon shut down at the end of June and according to members, it hasn’t been a smooth process.

Eyewitness News spoke with some who say they’re out hundreds and thousands of dollars because of it.

Eyewitness News spoke with a member, who said he can’t get his money back, and a trainer, who said she hasn’t been paid. Eyewitness News also spoke to the owner, who is asking for patience.

The doors at Snap Fitness in Avon have had its doors locked and lights off since closing at the end of June. It’s left customers like 75-year-old Navy veteran Regis Koontz, looking for another gym.

“I paid for a full year, $484 and change,” Koontz said.

Koontz shows us that was in April, two months before the June closure.

“Because I had barely used the contract, I felt I was entitled to a full refund,” Koontz said.

Instead, Barrocas offered members the opportunity to switch to another gym. Koontz didn’t want that and kept pushing for a refund. Weeks later, Koontz says he hasn’t seen a dime.

Lisa Greene is a former subcontracted trainer and she said she is in the same boat. She added she hasn’t been paid since June 9 and was owed “a few thousand dollars.”

Eyewitness News reached out to Barrocas via phone, email and even a home visit on Thursday. Eyewitness News heard back on Friday and he admits the gym closed because of financial problems. But, he adamantly disputes Greene’s claims saying she’s owed hundreds, not thousands.

“He said we would be paid by the 7th of July. He then said the 20th of July,” Greene said.

Barrocas couldn’t provide a firm pay date for Eyewitness News, saying a lot of it depends on when he can sell the gym equipment. He also told Eyewitness News Koontz will be getting a refund as well, but couldn’t say when that would happen.

When Eyewitness News spoke to him over the phone he told Eyewitness News he’s locked out of the SNAP computers but would work to get Eyewitness News more specific information next week.

Eyewitness News did reach out to the state’s Department of Consumer Protection. They said no complaints have been filed with them.

Eyewitness News received the following statement from the corporate offices of SNAP, headquartered in Minnesota,:

“Thank you for your email and notifying us about the issue. With 2,500 individually owned and operated franchise locations open and in development in 24 countries, occasionally we are notified of a club closure at the same time or after the incident has occurred. This is a rare occurrence, but we are taking swift corrective measures to ensure that members are notified. At Snap Fitness we value our members and are committed to correcting this issue. We have reached out to the owner of this location to confirm that members will be provided refunds if necessary. We are currently working with a Snap Fitness area developer in the region to help us re-grow our Snap Fitness community in the Avon, CT area. Parties that are interested in partnering with us are welcome to contact us at 844-LIFTNOW or reach us via email at sales@liftbrands.com. It is our goal to re-open this club quickly. Snap Fitness remains committed to the Avon, CT region and we look forward to rebuilding and upgrading the Snap Fitness club experience within the market in the upcoming months.”