The following email went out late Friday night-
Hello family,
I regret to inform you that WillPower Health & Fitness Studio will be closing, effective immediately, until further notice. Those of you who have made a full year committment, we plan to reimburse you for your unused months. Those of you currently in the middle of a personal training program or about to start one, your trainer will contact you shortly with alternative plans. We will figure out a way to continue your training in the area or you will also receive a refund. Please expect an update as when to expect the appropriate refund. Until then, we ask that you to be as patient humanily possible as we figure out our next move.
We officially opened for business in January of 2006 which gives us a tenure of 2 years and 9 months. Although things weren't easy, they were gratifying. Just this year alone we've had: 13 people that lost more than 30 pounds; 7 that lost more than 40; 2 that lost more than 50; 1 that lost 73 pounds; one young man that lost 103 pounds in 8.5 months; one man and one woman in their fifties were able to stop taking diabetes medicine; 6 people ran a half marathon for the first time ever; Two people successfully passed the physical exam to become FBI agents; One
successful football player on a local semi-pro team; Two college freshman football players - Cornell and Wake Forest and many other notable bench marks. We've also had several teens that were considered overweight change their diets and committ to a healthier lifestyle which includes a fitness program. Just recently, a brilliant young lady that will be competing in the Ms. Washington, DC padgent in December began training here. She seems like a shoe-in for 1st place:)
When we got started here on H Street NE in 2006, the vision for our presence here expanded well beyond 2026. However, some hard times, slow months and some not-so-smart business agreements have placed us in a powerless position to negotiate terms to continue serving this community. Simply put, I'm now forced into a life lesson of Business 101 - the part which deals with survival and longevity. I was an Air Traffic Controller for twelve years and a High School coach before retiring to run this business full-time. Needless to say, I'm still learning. In a few days, I will send more information about the exact posture of WillPower here on
H Street, NE. Please rest assured that if our doors don't open for business again: 1. I will do everything I can to ensure that your financial committments to our facility won't be left without adequate compensation; 2: We will figure out ways to continue to serve you and
assist with your lifestyle change for a better quality of life; 3: In the event that WillPower does open for business again on H Street NE, accept my guarantee that our success and/or tenure won't be based on a landlord's willingness to work with us in fair and reasonable manner. The property we occupy will be owned by us (full or in part), allowing us to continue to serve you with reasonable prices, unique high-tech equipment and a smile. Until the next message, thanks for all of your continued support and thank
you in advance for your patience.
more later...
Will Bailey, Owner
WillPower Health & Fitness Studio
21 comments:
I have been a member at will power for 6 months and loved it there. It is hard to tell what exactly went wrong but it seems a "mean" landlord was the final breaking point. It is really sad to see a struggling, local, independent business fail. Will may not have had all of the amenities that other, larger gyms had, but what they lacked in amenities they made up for in personality. I think this should be a call to all of the neighbors to be sure to make a concerted effort to support as many independent businesses as you can on H Street. Especially, in these tough economic times, they need our help. Thank you for your service to our community Will Power.
Uh Renee, has Willpower been paying their rent to that mean landlord?
I wanted to join Willpower but never could find anyone at the front desk.ever.
not the meany landlord
Ah, the dreaded 'mean landlord'.
I guess the "hard times, slow months and some not-so-smart business agreements" were the fault of the landlord too?
I had considered joining willpower. When I toured the place I really liked it but unfortunately, they didnt have the things that I needed in a gym.
If the topic about Napa's opening last November (which led to a rather heated discussion about H Street Main Street, funding and conflicts of interest) is correct, the 'mean landlord' in question is Anwar Saleem.
I've been a member at Will Power since December of 2005, signing up as part of the neighbors' promotion that Will Bailey ran even before it first opened. Over that time, I saw many positive developments, but I also saw a number of problems that never quite went away.
I've been happy to stay with Will Power for the location and the can't-beat price point, and I will be sorry to see it go. If Will Power is to re-open, however, I think significant changes would be necessary to make this more than just a gym of convenience.
Was Considering joining, now I need to find an alternative. Does anyone have any ideas? I considered WSC on the hill, Results the Gym is rather pricey. I need a Cruves for me but no such place exists. I am sorry to see them go but like others I contacted them and got no responses. The who shot john of it all it meaningless to me. I just need to find a gym.
-Robby
I too joined the gym about six months ago. Was looking forward to using it more heavily during the winter months. Best of luck, Will.
I toured the place, but since it's not really a regular gym, I didn't join. I think they have zero free weights. The neighborhood could definitely use a gym though!
Will is a nice guy but this was the Phish Tea of gyms.
This totally sucks. I have gone to Will power religiously for the last 6 months.
Will is a nice guy, but his gym left a lot to be desired. I wish him the best, having managed a gym years ago I can tell you it's a very difficult business to run. Long hours, high overhead expenses and jaw dropping insurance premiums. Combine that with the need to keep membership and training fees low enough to attract clientele and competition from the heavily advertised chain gyms and it quickly becomes a very exasperating balancing act.
Tom, they had free weights--they were on the basement floor. I enjoyed working out there, and it's a shame not to have the gym open anymore. For H Street to grow, we need more than the dining and drinking options. As much as I love our bar scene and the growth of restaurants like Naby's Island, Sticky Rice, Granville Moore's, Napa, and others, we need regular neighborhood businesses other than wig shops and fried food takeout joints.
Well, I saw their free weight room. It was literally smaller than my living room. It was simply too small for what I wanted. A gym needs a bigger space that that location offered.
No rent paid for nearly two years.
I am not surprised this place failed. They had way too many machines for the number of actual customers. They sort of had this weird free weight room in the basement and membership fees were very expensive. I pay $35 a month for Gold's Gym and I think they wanted to charge me around $70 for a sub par gym.
Like Will, not surprised it closed though. Was a member for about a year. Probably had a "mean landlord" too.
Worked out at Willpower 4 days/week for the last year. Yes there were free weights, but not many. And yes it was small and crowded with equipment. And there was -- in these last weeks only -- never anyone at the front desk. But you could get in a good few mile run, ride the bike for an hour, and do a quick circuit in a safe place with friendly people. I love my neighborhood, but it is without a doubt not at all safe for me to run outside at night/after dark unless I have my 90lb dog -- who isn't a runner. We need a replacement and soon. I wish Will the best.
I've got to agree with someone who posted earlier that I tried for months to get someone, anyone to...answer a voicemail, an email, answer the door, answer the phone period. I tried every conceivable time of day. And I really, really wanted to join. You just can't expect to say in business with zero customer service.
i joined willpower in the pre-opening stage because the price was slightly cheaper than my old gym near metro center and the location was right near my home.
the big thing i was waiting for was the card swipe option that would have allowed 24 hour access to the gym. i stopped going the past few months, so i don't know if that ever materialized.
i wish will all the best! hope they re-open!
ps: to anonymous who says will didn't pay rent for two years, wouldn't you have to be a landlord to know that? anonymity doesn't help when only one person can be the source of the information. unless you're some random third party.
I joined Willpower a couple of month ago and was happy about the convenience and the cardio equipments however I have noticed that the place was deserted most of the times. I always wondered how people would spend so much time, money, and energy and just let it go to waste. I was very disappointed with the many cancelled classes and the overall management but not surprised about the outcome. Nevertheless, I was saddened by the decision and I am willing to wait another week or two to get my refund. As tough as it is business is business…
Over the past few day I have noticed individuals working out/taking private classes in the Will Power gym. This is not right. Some of us (including myself) are paying members, yet we have been denied access. If we can't use the gym then nobody should be entitled to use the gym.
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