By Damian J. Troise
The company that runs New York Sports Club and Lucille Roberts gyms filed for bankruptcy protection with COVID-19, still prevalent in man parts of the U.S., gutting membership rolls at fitness companies nationwide.
Gold's Gym sought bankruptcy protection in May and 24 Hour Fitness Worldwide filed for bankruptcy in June. Many companies, including Planet Fitness, furloughed workers in order to conserve cash.
Town Sports International Holdings Inc., which also operates Washington Sports Club and Total Woman Gym and Spa, said Monday that it can no longer pay its debts.
The company lost $136 million during the first quarter this year, only a fraction of which included state- and city-mandated shutdowns of retail shops, gyms, salons, restaurants, and bars. By the end of the three-month reporting period, 95 percent of Town Sports' clubs had been closed.
Town Sports operates 185 clubs and serves 580,000 members, mostly in the Northeast.
Gyms have been allowed to reopen at a fraction of their capacity in some regions like the Northeast. Those who do go to gyms in New York City are required to wear a mask at all times and gyms can only operate at one-third capacity. Group fitness classes are still not permitted.
Yet with more than 33,000 COVID-19 related deaths in New York, most of them in New York City, thousands of one-time gymgoers have taken their routines outdoors, or to their own homes.
Home fitness company Peloton reported a 172 percent surge in revenue during its most recent quarter and it doubled its subscribers. Bike shops in New York, as well as most outdoor fitness gear sellers, have been largely cleared out.
The holiday season is underway and it's a good time to put your Christmas tree up if you haven't already. But making your home festive can be costly. Cameron Forbes, founder of Forbes Functions, joined Cheddar News to provide tips for decorating on a dime.
Google is moving forward with its previously-announced plan to delete inactive accounts and all associated data.
Federal regulators are investigating Chevrolet Volt hybrid cars after some drivers reported issues including sudden power loss and failure to restart.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell weighed in on interest rates, some of Tesla's cybertrucks have been delivered, Apple and Paramount have reportedly discussed bundling their streaming services together and Panera Bread has reportedly filed to go public.
Accounting firm PWC is facing a $7 million fine from U.S. regulators.
Build-A-Bear Workshop has been one of the most recognizable and beloved toy brands in the world since opening in 1997. Sharon Price John, CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop, spoke with Cheddar News about its plans for the holiday season this year as well as the company's first animated feature film.
Pfizer will stop the development of its twice-daily weight loss pill due to adverse side effects.
Stocks were generally flat after the opening bell on Friday ahead of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's comments in a speech at Spelman College later. Investors are growing optimistic that the central bank is done raising rates and may start cutting next year.
Holiday shopping on a budget.
The network of nearly 4,800 fake accounts was attempting to build an audience when it was identified and eliminated by the tech company, which owns Facebook and Instagram.
