Is a membership to Equinox worth the cost (Part II)?

Previous thread:

SoulCycle and Equinox have pointed out that since he's only the owner, he doesn't really have anything to do with them.

For which they were rightly dragged all over social media.

Fuck them.

Agreed R2

Their PR agency is woefully unprepared for this and has been doing and saying all the wrong things.

Once upon a time I worked out at a counterpart to Equinox in SF. I felt like it was worth it: lots of cardio equipment, interesting classes, a great spin instructor, amenities in the bathroom, yoga studio, etc. etc. but the arrogance of the clientele was a negative, now I belong to Planet Fatness and am just as happy.

Thanks for starting a new thread, OP.

As for the non-political part of the question, I'll repeat what I said on the last thread:

Like any big globo gym, Equinox is as good as what you put into it.

The fancy machines won't give you a better workout, though they will likely be cleaned and replaced on a more regular basis.

If you need to shower and change at the gym on a regular basis, Equinox's relatively spotless and relatively spacious locker rooms may make the extra cost worth it.

If you are someone who enjoys taking a range of different classes (Spinning, yoga, boot camp, et al) they probably have a wider array of options than most gyms.

But if you want to actually get in good shape, that's got to come from within.

Molly Tolsky @mollytolsky

I wish I was affluent enough to belong to a SoulCycle or Equinox so I could cancel my membership in protest.

Thanks for starting a new thread.

Well, OP....

What took you so long to start a new thread? I waited and waited and waited... So, I started one that had a bit of a deviation (so, as not to step on your turf) only to get yelled at because there were now multiple threads. I started: "This EQUINOX Gym Mess. Is Member Worth It" and some queen snapped back at me with "there's already a thread" and that's called "The guy who owns Equinox, Blink...blah, blah, blah"

What took you so long? I want explanation!

Saw a tweet from someone reporting that a friend working at an NYC location lost count after the first 50 cancellations today.

Brian Schwartz @schwartzbCNBC

NEW: Trump and the GOP raised at least $10 million from the Hamptons fundraisers scheduled for Friday. One will be at the home of real estate executive Joe Farrell and the other is being hosted by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross.

Crisis Management

Can Equinox and SoulCycle Recover From a Brand Values Disconnect?

Well, can it?

So has anyone attempted to cancel?

Considering that Equinox never budges on anything, I'm wondering what, if anything, they're doing to try to convince customers to stay.

[quote]I’m outside @equinox Chelsea handing out leaflets. Most people nice, now 3 canceled after getting out leaflets. Others had come to cancel, say goodbye. One nasty dude. Manager claimed she called cops on me. So far nothing.

[quote]I am on public property. One other said he won’t cancel and that he is on DNC LGBT committee or something and said I respect where give their money! He then brought up Ilhan Omar, and people raising money for her, as a counterpoint! Yeesh

[quote]While many people know about the fundraiser, I’m actually surprised at the number of people who didn’t and are horrified. Folks, getting in the street works.

[quote]The manager came out and said, “think about who you are hurting!”. (Who?) This was after another woman I handed a leaflet to came out and said she canceled. Still no police. Was a bluff. And I’m out of leaflets. Job done.

[quote]The manager came out and said, “think about who you are hurting!”.

That's the purpose of the boycott. We are indeed thinking about being those being hurt

I had a look at the Equinox facebook page and the comments and arguing over there are amazing.

Still, haven't found anyone that has said they've actually cancelled their memberships.

You can freeze your membership as well if you want to send a softer message.

Oh, thanks R17! That's quite helpful!

I cancelled.

Are their memberships a year's contract each year? Or is it month to month after your first year?

R19 did you call or do it in person? Did they try to get you to stay?

Honey, now you KNOW that these girls' panties are TWISTED!

R20 it's just the first year you are under contract. After that initial year, it's month to month.

not now

I didn't see anyone canceling today in my Northern California club (although that doesn't mean it didn't happen). There was a guard stationed at the door though.

Which location R25?

"Morning Joe" is reporting right now that Stephen Ross is shaken but will still continue on with the event at the urging of the Trump administration.

The gym caters to assholes who will be secretly delighted to have a few less members making their club even more exclusive.

NOsoulcycle

“I had enough,” Fields, an Equinox member since 2008, said. “Equinox was already bugging me lately, and this was the very easy push to get me to quit,” he fumed, adding that his last day at Equinox would be Aug. 31.

Fields said Equinox didn’t try to offer him a discount or any incentive to stay, but even if they did, he wouldn’t have taken it. He joined Crunch nearby for $190 cheaper instead, a steal compared to the average Equinox membership which can cost up to $300 a month between initiation and monthly fees. “I couldn’t be happier,” he said.

soulLESScycle

My fellow NYSC Gays, let's make sure the steamrooms are extra inviting today for any Equinox refugees who are checking them out.

I’m in NYC and know several people who quit. I used to go to equinox as well but quit a while back when I moved to queens and there wasn’t one nearby. As a result they always send me emails asking me to rejoin. I replied back to one saying that while I used to have a good image of equinox I no longer do to this event. A manager emailed me back saying I needed to do research instead of listening to the media, and that’s a Stephen Ross has nothing to do with them. I looked the manager up on social media and it’s a white femme gay guy, so I responded back calling him out for being ugly on the inside (based on equinox standards he’s just as ugly on the outside).

My response from my location:

Hey XXXX -- Thank you for your note. All feedback is being escalated and will be reviewed.

One of the main reasons I love about this brand is the strong voice our members have when reacting to events outside the four walls and community we created together over the years.

Your sentiment is heard and understood. Over the last 24 hours, we have had the opportunity to speak with a number of dedicated members and followers. Our main takeaway is confusion around Mr. Ross’ involvement in Equinox, Equinox’s involvement in the fundraiser event & whether membership dues are funding it.

Neither Equinox or SoulCycle have any involvement in this event tomorrow nor do we support it. As is consistent with our company policies, no funds are used for political purposes. We are committed to all the communities we live in. We believe in Tolerance and Equality.

If you have any questions or want to talk over the phone, please let me know. I just gave you a ring now and left a message.

I look forward to hearing back from you.

Best,

EXXXX XXXXXX EQUINOX | GENERAL MANAGER 1 PARK AVENUE NEW YORK, NY 10170 T 212.779.1727 EQUINOX(DOT)COM #ItsNotFitnessItsLife

Hahahahahaha, I'm glad they are being called out. I am even prouder of the people cancelling their memberships. With that said, it is very hard to switch gyms. Especially, coming down from a Mount Olympus like Equinox. I say it's heard because you get used to an environment, a commute, and a set of standards. Life is too short to spend your money on companies owned by hateful individuals. This thought came to mind, because I wondered which gym I'd go to if mine was caught up in this mess.

Stephen Ross owns 60% of Related Companies, which owns 100% of Equinox. It bought Equinox in a private equity deal in 2008. Whatever profits Equinox earns goes into the Related Companies, which in turn ends up in Stephen Ross's pockets. So, while Equinox may not be donating directly to Trump, the profits it earns are ultimately making their way into supporting Trump's reelection campaign.

Their denial of this actually pisses me off even more.

Had they responded back to me by saying: you’re fat, ugly and poor! Then I would’ve had more respect for them than this stupid ass response they’re giving out.

"...we’re told an email was sent to over 1,000 employees calling for workers not to clock in unless Ross, chairman of Related Companies — the gyms’ parent company — cancels the event. The agitators also set up an Instagram account to rally staff to the cause. “We are the cleaners, the managers, the trainers, the group fitness instructors, the sales reps, the shop salespeople, the spa professionals and the gatekeepers,” reads a post. “Our collective efforts will have results. We cannot be silent.” A source tells us, “Managers have been calling all of the group fitness instructors asking them to confirm their attendance” in class."

MSNBC Guest Elie Mystal: ‘I Want Pitchforks and Torches Outside’ Trump Donor’s House in the Hamptons

LOL! I love this guy! Every time I see him I think of Data Lounge and for me he represents the look and attitude of this site. He's straight, though. But, BOY-OH-BOY he comes across as a big, ole, fat queen, with attitude.

Matthew Dowd @matthewjdowd

So let me get this straight: many Trump supporters think it is right to boycott Nike for fighting against racism, but it is wrong to boycott companies which support racism?? Do i have that right?

How did Ross expect this to go over? His target marking is urban-dwelling, upper-middle-class educated people and the gays.

Equinazis abound, shut them down!

Ross expected this to go over without a problem... because he's well aware of the members and how they behave. Over the past few years Equinox has continued to get away with more and more shit. Members put up with stealing, shitty customer service, etc. and any time there is a complaint, the company basically tells its members to fuck off... and members don't cancel.

Because of that, he knows that despite all the noise now, the majority of outraged members STILL won't cancel.

He'll have his fundraiser and believe that most people will just forget about it.... and they will.

And then he'll go ahead and raise the rates AGAIN.

I’m afraid at how right you are, r44.

But Trump and both brands do share one thing in common: They all traffic in vanity. Equinox and SoulCycle have long projected themselves as fitness havens for hot people with a wide margin of disposable income (this week’s whole skirmish made me remember the gym’s “provocative,” campy ads over the years). There’s a dare to this particular campaign: Give up your privilege, your status signified by the chrome aesthetic and Kiehl’s in every shower. And there’s another status to be gained, one that comes with being the type of person to publicly do so. The stakes have made “boycott Equinox” a particularly potent directive.

Other brand boycotts have put more on the line, like when Wayfair employees risked their jobs to walk out in protest after they learned the company fulfilled an order for furniture going to a U.S.-Mexico border detention center. Others have put less, like when someone cut the Nike symbols off his socksafter the company made Colin Kaepernick the face of an ad campaign.

After all of these efforts, we ask, Will it work? Does it ever work? Not spending money on something feels like such a passive way to cast a vote; it’s hard to quantify impact at an individual level, which can make such a move unsatisfying on a personal level, and ineffectual on a political level. But the answer is sometimes yes. Spend some time with #GrabYourWallet‘s section on companies that have been dropped from the list. The progress is often incremental, like when Keurig pulled advertising from the show Hannity on Fox News after its host called an encounter with one of the children Roy Moore allegedly targeted “consensual,” forcing its host to apologize (The follow-up protest by conservatives who filmed themselves destroying their Keurigs didn‘t change much). Other times it doesn’t work at all, not even a little bit, as with L.L.Bean and New Balance, as mentioned above. Often what moves the needle is not the money actually lost from a boycott, which is probably negligible for large corporations, but companies’ desire to preserve their reputations.

As far as Ross and his Equinox Fitness are concerned, it’s an easy battle for everyone watching from the outside, those of us who can’t righteously unsubscribe from SoulCycle because we weren’t parting with our disposable income to “change our body, find our soul” in the first place. Pick a side, we say gathered around the free pizza table at Planet Fitness. Tell us what luxuries you’re willing to give up.

And yet #BoycottEquinox also offers anyone the chance to take stock of the luxuries they subscribe to, and ask what they’re willing to give up. Most of us have our own version of Equinox monthly dues. I have a $70 eye cream. As far as I know, neither its manufacturer nor distributer contributes to Trump’s campaign. It does produce waste, though. It does make someone rich. So yeah, sure. I can come around to crow’s feet if pressed. It might honestly feel like a relief.

—Vanity Fair

Is there a TL;DR of R46's rant?

Do they call themselves "Vanity Fair" or is that a cut and paste?

Even LinkedIn

They are promoting an article about Equinox and Soul Cycle taking on Peleton that was innocuous enough a week ago, but the comments section is jammed with people urging a boycott, calling Trump a racist, etc.

That's pretty fucking telling because people are using real names, LinkedIn is very unpolitical, and the only trolls are people selling software scams in developing countries.

That's typed, R47. Aside from the many sites that are now coming up with pay walls, I guess DL has programmed certain sites (or titles) mentioned that will stop material from being posted. I posted that article here because VF now has a pay wall but I wanted to give the publication its credit.

Equinox has always been expensive. Purposefully to keep out white trash and people of color, who can work out at the YMCA or a city-owned recreation center.

R50 = one of those white trash.

While I don't think that the "boycott" was successful in getting the fundraiser canceled (that just wasn't happening), I do think that the uproar was successful in raising awareness what the Republicans and the 1% are doing. I think the article linked (New York Post--Rupert Murdoch owner) is just a marketing attempt to try and push back against protesters. This is a FOX headline and article that just dropped; "Equinox, SoulCycle boycott: Steve Forbes may become a new gym member"

The controversy over President Trump Opens a New Window. attending a fundraiser hosted by the owner of Equinox and SoulCycle is leaving one media mogul to consider pedaling into one of the fitness centers as a member. Steve Forbes, chairman of Forbes Media, said the call for a boycott Opens a New Window. over billionaire and owner of the fitness companies, Stephen Ross Opens a New Window. ’ support of President Trump’s re-election campaign demonstrates the current poisonous political climate. “This is the kind of thing that people don’t like,” he said during an interview on “After the Bell Opens a New Window. ” Friday. “It’s poisonous and I am almost ready to sign up for SoulCycle.” Ross is the chairman of The Related Companies, the parent company of both fitness brands, which are getting slammed by several celebrities like model Chrissy Teigen and comedian Billy Eichner who took to social media and urged users to cancel their Equinox and SoulCycle memberships. The backlash has also come from another Related owned property, the new Hudson Yards complex on Manhattan's west side. One of the anchor businesses of the development is celebrity chef José Andrés' restaurant, Mercado Little Spain. In a video on Twitter Opens a New Window. Andrés asked his landlord to cancel the fundraiser. Forbes said he fears that small donors will also feel the wrath associated with political campaign contributions. “Don’t be surprised if in the future if people start looking at them and calling up employers, calling up friends,” he said. The Washington Post Opens a New Window. reported that Ross' fundraiser and another by real estate developer Joe Farrell -- both held in the Hamptons -- raised $12 million for President Trump.

Anti-Equinox actions fizzle around NYC

[quote] Which location [R25]?

Palo Alto, CA

Trump cracks jokes about Equinox scandal, kamikaze pilots at Hamptons fundraiser

President Trump cracked jokes about the Equinox scandal, the old days of rent-controlled New York and his dealings with North and South Korea among deep-pocketed pals in the Hamptons on Friday.

Trump was feted at two big-money fundraisers — first a lunch for 60 hosted by real estate guru Stephen Ross, whose company owns Equinox and Soul Cycle. Then Trump talked for an hour to a crowd of 500 at the sprawling Bridgehampton home of developer Joe Farrell. The two events raised a total of $12 million.

After Equinox members revolted over Ross’ fundraising for the president, with many threatening to cancel memberships, Trump said he had joked with Ross about how divided the nation is.

Noting the relentless attacks on himself by the media, Trump quipped, “Steve Ross got into a little bit of trouble this week, I said, ‘Steve welcome to the world of politics!’ ”

Of his fundraising visit, Trump went on to say, “I love coming to the Hamptons, I know the Hamptons well, everyone here votes for me but they won’t admit it.”

And of his tough stance on trade tariffs and US military aid, Trump told a story of going as a boy to collect rent checks with his father, adding, “It was easier to get a billion dollars from South Korea than to get $114.13 from a rent-controlled apartment in Brooklyn, and believe me, those 13 cents were very important.”

And now, for the "I'm rich and you're not video"

OH! What was served:

In all, 500 people were expected to pass through Farrell's doors Friday. Guests dined on a buffet lunch of sirloin steak, shrimp with lemon chili and charred broccoli. Per the source, some guests hung out at Farrell's estate for an after party, I believe I read somewhere that Ross hosted 60 people.

Some of the people there:

Attendees included ousted Fox News personality Bill O'Reilly, Geraldo Rivera, major names from the New York real estate development community, McDaniel, RNC co-chairman Tommy Hicks Jr., Trump Victory Finance chairman Todd Ricketts, campaign manager Brad Parscale, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, Congressman Lee Zeldin, Kimberly Guilfoyle and the president's son, Donald Trump Jr. The New York Post, which published a detailed account of Trump's remarks, reported that Jonathan Farkas, Steve Mnuchin, Wilbur Ross and wife Hilary Geary Ross, Rory Tahari, Joe Piscopo, Rudy Giuliani, Andrew Giuliani, Phil Falcone and wife Lisa Maria, Jean Shafiroff and Neal Sroka were also in attendance.

Thank you

"Thanks to the unhinged mob on the left, @realDonaldTrump raised $12M today, $2M more than originally expected," tweeted Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel at approximately 4 p.m. EST. "The support for our President is unprecedented and growing!"

Why are so many DLers lying about being wealthy? Park Avenue?! Yeah ok.

Face it, folks .. Boycotts Never Work.

I think I got pozzed in an Equinox sauna.

OP/r52 your cut and paste skills fucking suck.

Opens New Window and throws OP out of it.

I don’t ever see the hooking up in saunas you all speak of. Ever. Neither do most of my friends that go there. Only one said he’s seen it here and there but not often.

I’m starting to think you old bags are losing brain cells and making shit up.

[quote]I don’t ever see the hooking up in saunas you all speak of. Ever. I’m starting to think you old bags are losing brain cells and making shit up.

Maybe, you're not invited? I see it on Saturdays and Sundays--especially Sundays.

Sure r60. Sure.

Not worth the cost now that you k who your money is going to Trump’s re-election

Don't hate me because I'm beautiful, R61

While Dems quibble about small donors the GOP takes in millions at a time from the rich.

No wonder they keep winning

You have to be really gross if you've never encountered activity at an Equinox. I've seen the trolliest of trolls get in in the action at multiple locations.

The action isn’t nearly as frequent as these old bitches claim.

R65, you’d have to be really gross and sick to have sex in the gym

It's a fucking gym. Find another one. Don't support them, if they lose money that is the only thing that'll make them think twice about supporting Trumpty Dumpty.

Encountering isn't the same as participating. Try harder.

Equinazis & SoulLESScyclers, that’s all that’s left.

There is actually a debate with some of my friends on FB about this. Some are really upset at those not willing to cancel.

One said he won’t cancel because of the steam room. A bunch attacked him because he’s a pathetic whore and doesn’t even do anything but stare at the men in there.

Here's where they're fucked--Equinox and SoulCycle are rolling out a bike to compete with Peleton that's due to launch sometime this month (it may already have launched)

That's when people can be anti-Ross because it's not fucking with their existing routines or inconveniencing them in any way to get the Peleton bike instead.

As noted, Equinox has no real competition so a lot of people will likely make noise about leaving and then do nothing.

But that new bike will likely be a flop.

[quote]The action isn’t nearly as frequent as these old bitches claim.

First, it all depends upon what you consider and define as "action." Second, it is frequent. Is it as frequent as say a NYSC? I would say no. But, it definitely is there and it happens frequently.

This was not how CITIZENS UNITED was supposed to work!!!

That NYPost article can suck it. They think the boycott fizzled because

[quote] the call to arms seemed to produce little uproar in the streets.

? I want to see if it hurts the bottom line enough to wake these people up.

This is why he won.

R58, R52 is not the OP of this thread, thank you very much.

[quote]That NYPost article can suck it. They think the boycott fizzled because

I wouldn't put too much storage in the NYPost. I'd say that it's just a public relations effort to try and thwart all of the negative publicity. Just like the FOX headline and article. These people DO NOT want to be exposed! Do you think that Geraldo Rivera wants it known out there that he was at this party?

Although we will have to wait and see, I think there has been some damage done and is being done to EQUINOX and Soul Cycle. Legislation is being introduced to make it easier for consumers to get out of contracts, (this is a frightening thought to EQUINOX), and this has given some of the competition an opening to pounce--and they are. A LOT of people of late had already been complaining about the high costs of EQUINOX. A LOT of the workers for the gym on all levels have been complaining too because they can't really make any money. The average gym person/consumer is finding difficulties is this great economy and the high costs of an EQUINOX membership is starting to weigh in on them. This incident gives everyone a reason to rethink their membership there.

From what I have heard, the hotel opening was a DISASTER and now people are not to much of a hurry to book it and/or head over to the Hudson Yards. So, I think this is still a "wait and see" type of situation. I betcha EQUINOX is mulling over some type of membership appreciation day or something along that order. I don't think the gym will give any money back but I'm sure it is looking at ways to calm the turbulent waters that were created by this incident.

Boycotts actually do work, all the time. Tucker Carlson had 11 ads that weren't Fux promos on Friday night. I think on Thursday it was 13. He is sweating bullets over boycotts, complaints to advertisers, etc., because it's working. It always works.

Let's see if Steve Ross EVER hosts another fundraiser for that prick.

The boycott on Chic-fil-A worked (albeit temporarily) and so did the one on Papa John's.

[quote]Let's see if Steve Ross EVER hosts another fundraiser for that prick.

Oh, I think that he will. But, you won't hear about it...

Let's see... Home Depot, etc are all companies that are very wary about what their management is doing re politics and how it will affect the company. But, here is what is going to happen, in my opinion; This will only drive the money into darker and hidden places.

R80 Boycotts will hurt their quarterly profits, which is all these MBA type CEO's care about nowadays. They don't care about long-term growth of their companies and/or brand loyalty, just make a quick buck and cash out. If the quarterlies are bad for Equinox, it could result in the removal of Steven Ross, depending on how that company is structured and if he's accountable to a board or shareholders.

[quote]The boycott on Chic-fil-A worked (albeit temporarily) and so did the one on Papa John's.

Papa Johns has yet to recover. But, what it did was expose the founder, John Schnatter, as a racist. The board had to throw him out. The Chic-fil-A boycott brought the company to the table and made it tighten its requirements for charitable giving. The company just recently came under fire for contributing to anti-gay organizations and this caused the company to com[any to come out and respond.

So, boycotts do work. What will EQUINOX do? We'll see. Right now, Republicans are crowing about the money raised. Quite honestly, I would not have expected anything less. But, while they're raising the money, maybe we should concentrate on raising voter registration and turnout?

Equinox and SoulCycle undoubtedly have had quite a few membership cancellations this past week. Where they'll really get hurt though is in not having new customers join this month and perhaps in September. Most new joins are at higher monthly rates than older memberships, and they come with initiation fees, etc. August is typically a slow month for joins, so this debacle I'm sure is hurting them even more.

The CFA boycott is widely viewed as very unsuccessful

Seemingly lost in all this is the assurance that it only takes a quarter of a million to have a private meeting with the President of the United States.

Yeah, that seems legit.

I’m saving my shekels, but I’ll wait until a Dem is in there.

Anyone want to start a go fund me?

[quote]The CFA boycott is widely viewed as very unsuccessful

It depends upon whose eyes you look through. The conservative right wing wants everyone to believe that because the chain has grown and yadda, yadda. The liberal left wing might believe that too because the chain has grown and/or didn't shut down.

But, the fact that because of the boycott the company became much more judicious in its charitable giving is a BIG win. You won't read about that.

R82, I don't think that the boycotts will hurt their quarterly profits too much. They'll be able to move money around, reduce costs, cancel some things, delay spending on some things to deflect the hit on profits.

I wonder how many Equinox/Soulcycle boycotters have stepped into a Home Depot in the past year.

What do y'all think about this opinion? But, a bit of background on the writer:

Derek Beres is a multi-faceted media expert and group fitness instructor based in Los Angeles. He is the Director of Content for RChain Cooperative. He has taught yoga, fitness, and studio cycling at Equinox Fitness since 2004, where he has been at the cutting edge in new workout programs.

I wonder how this will affect the launch of the Equinox Hotel at Hudson Yards. It already seems a bit troubled.

It has launched, R91. The opening was a disaster. I've noticed that the hotel is flooding FB with ads. $700/night rooms? And now, this? It doesn't help....

Told you Equinox wouldn't give a damn. Nor will they.... and they'll do it again. Just watch.

OH! This is good....

Equinox Tried to Comfort Employees on an Internal Call. It Didn’t Go So Well.

On Thursday, Equinox’s executives held a phone-in meeting for its sales and club-level management teams as an attempt to assuage concerns over recent reports that the founder of its parent company is throwing an extravagant fundraiser for Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign.

On the call, provided to the Cut by an employee who has requested anonymity, employees vocalized their concerns with the company’s association with Stephen Ross, the chairman of the Related Companies which oversees fitness giants Equinox, SoulCycle, and Blink Fitness. In the days since the Washington Post first reported Ross’s fundraiser for Trump, employees have called for protests and swarms of people have canceled their memberships, compelling Equinox president Scott Rosen and COO Judy Turchin to hold a call to assure employees with messaging of unity and company values. And yet, they attempted to do so while also defending Ross’s values and insisting he does not align himself with Trump. (Another employee who was on the call confirmed that it took place; Equinox did not respond to the Cut’s request before time of publication.)

To start the call, Rosen says that Ross has “never taken a dime” from Equinox and is not involved in management.

I just want them to send me my $125 for messing up credit reporting

They really think that people, especially the highly educated Equinox, members don't know how company ownership works? Of course Ross didn't go to an Equinox gym and take cash out of the register lol, but he still received money form that and every profitable location.

I was at a party this weekend with gays that refused to quit their Equinox membership. We are in Chicago, there are local chains with 80-90% of Equinox's amenities, with the necessary elitist attitude and expensive membership. While I should have call them out, I just gave a slight smirk then took a sip of my drink. I think people are more cowardly than we'd like to admit. I have respect for people that can boycott, because when I had a chance to speak up I decide not to rock the boat at the party. I hope I do better next time.

Did you sashay your way out of the party? You sound the type.

I love you r97.

[quote]I was at a party this weekend with gays that refused to quit their Equinox membership.

This line alone just made me chuckle! Oh, the horror! Excuse me... Quelle horreur!!!

Oh wow

On another note, I seek advice;

I have a friend that was recently downsized. Last week he let us know that he was on his way to cancel his gym membership. I asked him if he was an EQUINOX member--given the current events. He said no, but he was canceling his gym membership because he couldn't afford it at this time.

Now, I have 3 EQUINOX guest passes. Should I invite him to my gym and we work out together? I don't know if this would be a good or bad gesture. How would he take that? I mean... it's only 3 passes but I do have them available.

Thanks in advance

You all are too much1

R101, it's three passes. Why bother? He can get week long passes at the hundreds of gyms that probably surround him.

[quote]They really think that people, especially the highly educated Equinox, members don't know how company ownership works?

Of which, clearly you’re not.

Never claimed to be one boo. I saw the typo after I posted the comment. I really wish we could have an edit option.

While I understand the reaction to cancel memberships, many of the wrong people are being potentially hurt and the larger goal (preventing Trump from winning in 2020) is served much better by other means.

Employees of Equinox are very distressed by all this which is out of their control. Trump will be defeated in 2020 if Democrats and independents get out and vote. Best way to assure that is to donate to the DNC and League of Women Voters, both which work hardest to turn out vote. Canceling your Equinox membership is mostly symbolic. It will do little to hinder Trump or his supporters.

FYI, when you give to a current Dem primary candidate right now you are support them running against each other. So which ever ends up being the candidate- contributions to that candidate will count most when running in the general election.

Uh-Oh....

Ripple, ripple, ripple....

Fashion world feeling shockwaves from Equinox owner’s Trump fundraiser

The uproar over Equinox owner Stephen Ross’ fundraiser for President Trump has spread to the fashion world.

Sunday, jewelry company Fallon withdrew its membership from powerful industry organization the Council of Fashion Designers of America because Ross’ wife, Kara Ross, sits on its board.

The company released a statement saying after “many years of participation,” it would “no longer participate if a woman that funds the current [White House] administration sits on the board.”

R105, thank you for taking that in the spirit it was intended, i.e., snarky pointless bitchery. I was just having fun with ya and I’m glad you recognized that.

Plus, calling me ‘boo’ made me feel warm and fuzzy inside to the point.... Wait, gotta go have a cigarette.

I just canceled my Equinox membership of 20 years. A few observations:

--there was only one very frazzled young lady at the check in whereas usually there are three or four people (of different positions). Have staff members quit?

--she was a bit snippy with me as if it somehow mattered to her personally. I wonder if it does...as in they may have to lay off staff if "the numbers" get skewed. If so, I feel bad for a person losing their job but I also know that people speaking up are the only way to effect change in situations like this. If it came down to just a ratio on a balance sheet, they would simply raise the rates (again). Forcing them to deal with people forces them to look at themselves. Again, I feel for the folks who have go out and find a replacement for the ($15 x 37hrs/week) because I've been in that scary boat. Hopefully there are other openings within the huge company to move people around.

--this was a hard choice for me mainly because, as other have said, a large part of Equinox is status. I will miss the quiet floor (no blaring pop music) and the luxurious whirlpool and working out among some of the most amazing Type-A bodies you've ever seen. Ultimately, I decided that I wouldn't be able to enjoy those things as much because of feeling like a hypocrite. If I'm going to shame my sister-in-law every time she reaches for a Chick-fil-A, then I need to be prepared to give up some of my comforts as well.

--construction. I realized while I was waiting (and waiting, and waiting) for her to get to me is that the clubs are always in some kind of flux. Part of this may be to justify raising the rates every 14-16 months, but another part of it relates back to a culture of privilege. Just as the Trump rhetoric gives some people license to be their worst selves, constantly changing the wall color or t.v. placement assuages the guilt that people of means have about their own turmoils. A comfort of chaos, if you will.

--I feel good even if I am another victim of "cancel culture". Stephen Ross would have me arrested if I spit on his shoe in public but this small action might take a dollar out of his pocket. He probably won't miss my dollar past the initial shock but at least I will have touched him once the only way I possibly can.

--maybe he will notice. She said it will take 2-3 days for them to process my cancelation as there have been so many lately. If it is a publicly traded company don't they have to file earnings reports? And, in this era of social media everything, maybe the word of mouth will shift some energy.

--there was an actual sign in the window urging people to take a stand for what they believe in (I'm having a hard time posting it). Ironically, I think it is left over from Pride but the sentiment still stands.

--it's an 'effen gym! Yes, I'll miss it...yes, I'll live...

R109 and what did they try to do to keep you? Anything?

Did an offer to discount your rate come up at all? Promises of change? Personal stories of how she's gay and it's a great place to work?

I can guarantee if anything, it was only the last, right?

None of that, R110. She scanned my code, wearily sighed, and then asked me if I understood the cancelation policy. Even though I thought I remembered it I had her spiel it anyway (45 day cancelation...will still be billed another month...blah, blah, blah).

And then she told me about how it has to be approved by a manager. I assume that email will be the pitch to stay.

She showed no interest in trying to change my mind. She just seemed annoyed.

Keep us informed, R111. I'm assuming you'll get a call from retentions and that's when you'll get the story singing Equinox's praises. They still won't offer to actually discount anything or change any policies because... well they obviously don't care.

R111 How much did you pay when you first joined and for your last month?

Even if you really love your gym, everyone could at least cancel for a couple of months to send a message.

[quote]Even if you really love your gym, everyone could at least cancel for a couple of months to send a message.

They'd love that. They'd get another $300 initiation fee from you and increase the rate you were paying!

Nah r114, hopefully some people are happy at their new gyms and if enough people actually cancel, they'll ask you to rejoin and with a discount.

Yeah... keep dreaming!

[quote]this was a hard choice for me mainly because, as other have said, a large part of Equinox is status.

Eyeroll.

Do people really pay initiations?

I didn’t. I quit last year (moved away from a location) after a few years as a member and they still send me offers to rejoin. They say the rate is the same (think it went up 10$ overall), no fee to rejoin and that I’d get a month free after my first year back.

I have a friend who works at a location near my job and he asked me if I’d join back. Apparently they have some deal were you only pay 125 for a single location. I asked him about the protest and he told me that they had a meeting last week and lots of people were upset and management gave them bs answers. He says it’s since died down.

Canceled Equinox membership this week. I was given a line of bullshit to the tune of " Oh Steve Ross is a passive invsestor in Equinox we Loooovvveeee EVERYONE" If you get this line, here was my response. Feel free to copy, tweek if you want to use it.

"Stephen Ross, is the majority owner of Equinox Fitness’s parent Related Companies, hosted a fundraiser for Donald Trump last week. Nobody makes more money from Equinox than Stephen Ross and nobody BRINGS more money INTO Equinox than gay men. We have no intention of funneling dollars to a man who puts children of legal asylum seeking migrants in cages and would probably put us in cages if he could get away with it. Bye."

R119 that response should include a line about being even more offended that Equinox thinks the people who care about this are stupid enough not to understand how business works and that Stephen Ross is indeed making more money than anyone else.

Also, when they try to feed you the bullshit stories that, "I'm gay too and Equinox is actually a really wonderful place to work where I feel there's a lot of inclusion,"

People should respond with, "That makes me even madder that you and your homosexuality, are being used as props to help try and keep customers from leaving a company that supports people and laws that hate you."

[quote](I think it went up 10$ overall)

SMDH

[quote] I asked him about the protest and he told me that they had a meeting last week and lots of people were upset and management gave them bs answers. [bold] He says it’s since died down. [/bold]

Yes, indeed it has. I’ve noticed that the gay NYC InstaHos still go — they just don’t tag Equinox as the location. Like that makes it OK. 🙄

We are our own worst enemy, r122.

See the adulation for the Cockgobbler as an example. A man who genuinely would’ve thrown us in an oven if he had his way.

Same with Chic-Fil-A. The gays go and then feel “guilty” about eating there. Ummm . . . .

You're coming across as disappointed, R122. Maybe, this will pick you up a bit... I think that the uproar was a success! I think that EQUINOX is in a heightened state about its membership and will step cautiously for quite a spell now. Although, I have no evidence other than my gut reaction, I believe that EQUINOX was about to launch some aggressive acts that would not have been membership friendly.

I do believe that many of the 1% are having hesitations about hosting and contributing to the Republican party because they don't want to be associated with racism, white supremacists, etc. How do you explain this to your employees? If anything, their contributions will go underground.

I also wonder about corporate memberships. I'm pretty sure companies like JP Morgan have deals wherein their employees can get discounted memberships (possibly without initiation fees). What happens to Equinox when the banks and universities and foundations, etc. stop funneling employees their way? I imagine some of them don't want the guilt by association.

[quote]I had a chance to speak up I decide not to rock the boat at the party. I hope I do better next time.

Hmmm, now where have I heard this before?

r119 here. just want to add that Stephen Ross has no plans to stop supporting Dump or holding fund raisers for I'ts election. He's banking on the fact that Equinox clubs are a status thing among the gay community and he thinks we are too vain and stupd to stop paying him for the privilledge.

A friend of mine told me that when he canceled his membership on E 85th street the Equinox employee actually said"But your one of our best looking members, other members aspire to look like you" He couldn't believe they were trying to appeal to his vanity like that.

R128, your friend sounds like an idiot.

He can’t believe a club that is known for being superficial is superficial?

That’s why I don’t get about some of the gays cancelling. They act as if before this Ross crap came out, that Equinox was a place for social justice.

They act outraged and claim that they thought Equinox celebrated diversity! And I’m here thinking what? What’s next? They’re gonna be shocked that elitist country clubs also value money and status over people?

Equinox was always for superficial people who care more about luxury than social justice.

Ivanka at r129. My friend is not an idiot. He was shocked and insulted they thought such a low brow manipulation would be effective.

[quote] That’s why I don’t get about some of the gays cancelling. They act as if before this Ross crap came out, that Equinox was a place for social justice.

That's only the beginning of what you don't get. Equinox is clean and quiet. That is why I was a member. Some people join for superficial reasons but I withdrew my support for reasons that were most definitely not superficial.

[quote]He's banking on the fact that Equinox clubs are a status thing among the gay community and he thinks we are too vain and stupd to stop paying him for the privilledge.

[quote]But your one of our best looking members,

Well if he reads your post he’s not too far off, is he?

R130 is such an idiot. The only excuses to support equinox, besides being superficial , is that it’s clean and quiet? Lots of gyms are clean and quiet. Equinox isn’t even quiet considering how crowded it is.

What a fucking phony. You joined for status you shallow prick. You wanted to be surrounded by rich white people with great bodies so stop acting like you’re saving the world now.

Well put R120 -- we're at a point where there responses have been so tone deaf, this is going to turn into an HBS case study on "how not to react to an unexpected crisis"

I'm still skeptical how much of a hit Equinox will take in the near term given that they don't overlap much in terms of locations with Lifetime, which is the other large upscale gym chain. In the long term, those corporate sponsorships may indeed go away and if I was running the anti-Equinox campaign, that's what I'd focus on.

But SoulCycle and all those "brand extensions"--hotels, Peleton competitors and the like--those are likely DOA..

Oh, and ignore the trolls. There are always going to be people hating on you for having things they can't have.

^^their responses

No on wants to give over their hard earned money to the ENEMY!

Maybe the gym is n't canceling memberships like it should? It may be trying to wrangle another month or two out of departing members?

Wilson Cruz Demands Equinox Respond to His Membership Cancellation: ‘Don’t Make Me Come In’ … It ‘Won’t Be Pretty’

AUGUST 12, 2019 BY ANDY TOWLE

Actor Wilson Cruz, one of the first celebs to call for a boycott of Equinox following news that its chairman Stephen Ross was hosting a Trump fundraiser in the Hamptons, says he hasn’t heard back from the gym since he wrote in to cancel his membership, and he’s pissed.

Said Cruz: “Your tone deaf response to this matter to a clientele you have betrayed is beyond the pale … Don’t make me come in to an actual gym because an in person meeting won’t be pretty. I’ve had more than enough of the posturing and obfuscation.”

This morning we reported that Equinox executives tried to alleviate panic among employees freaked out that gym members were canceling memberships in the wake of news that Chairman Stephen Ross was holding a Trump fundraiser in the Hamptons. It didn’t go well.

Added Cruz: “Stephen Ross’ fundraiser for Trump, your delayed and ridiculous response, the excuses you have made for Mr. Ross to the public and your employees and the audacity of Trump and Ross to LAUGH about this issue are disgusting.”

It’s situations like this that make me glad I don’t belong to a gym.

Just heard from a friend who has a friend that works at Equinox. She told him that it was absolutely dead at her location. Only about 2 people showed up at opening when they normally have a dozen or so. She also told my friend that they were told if anyone asked to say membership was not down.

^I received an email from my gym location's manager and a call (that I missed) from him. I returned the call 2 days ago. I have yet to hear from him again.

Good. Make tRump toxic. If you want to support the pig it’ll come with a high price.

Equinox Hotel Hudson Yards New York City, New York 5-star

33 Hudson Yards, New York, NY, 10001, United States of America, 866-539-9234

Luxury hotel with spa, near Madison Square Garden

$875 now $515 Secret price: $515 NOW $505/night

Main amenities

212 smoke-free guestrooms

Restaurant and bar/lounge

Full-service spa

Indoor pool and outdoor pool

Breakfast available

24-hour health club

Valet parking

24-hour front desk

Coffee/tea in a common area

Air conditioning

Daily housekeeping

Lobby fireplace

Free WiFi

For families

Free cribs/infant beds

Connecting/adjoining rooms available

Private bathroom

Separate bathtub and shower

Premium TV channels

Free toiletries

The reviews (Trip Advisor) and i do believe these to be true. I heard the opening was a DISASTER!

-Needs work

The hotel is absolutely beautiful--very modern and clean. The bathroom was spacious. Despite the beauty of the facility itself, the hotel needs a lot of work. It was somewhat disorganized inside and outside. They still need to work a few kinks, some of the staff were unpleasant.…

-How my family was treated...

First of all, I was accused of being a racist. I guess that is the buzzword of the day when someone's competence is questioned. Hotels are part of the service industry and excellent service should be expected and delivered at a hotel of your caliber. When a guest at a hotel…

-Horrible Experience!

Truly the worst hotel I have ever been to. I wish I chose to stay somewhere else, staying at the equinox hotel ruined my most special occasion. I chose it because of the location, I came for my bar exam. I couldn't sleep because of the construction, the alarms that went off for…

-Awful

The re invented the wheel by making it square. The mattress is numbingly hard barely slept. The whole room has been designed by self proclaimed expert on design for sleep - typical nyc marketing nonesense . Terrible experience but on the upside if you want to hate life but Instagram something to people who would think it’s cool stay here

-New hotel at great location

The hotel is at a very good location with lots of restaurants and shopping just minutes away at Hudson Yards. Also there is a subway stop right outside. I liked the airplay function on the TV. It could be noisy due to construction still going on in the area, bring earplugs.

Last one:

The Pool Is Great!

It depends on what you are looking for whether or not this is the place to stay. The pool atop the fourth floor roof was what we were most interested in, and on that, the hotel delivered. While the pool is overcrowded with people that belong to the health club, as a hotel guest you do have access to a lovely area and since you are staying there, perhaps you have time to wait for a lounge chair. When we arrived at peak time on a Friday afternoon there were 142 people ahead of us waiting for a text to tell them a chaise had opened up. Unlikely to get two together, we found an arm chair and some space on a bench in the pool and still enjoyed it. Indeed, the pool was the true highlight of an otherwise average stay. Staff in their all white suits, or some in all black, were aloof and not terribly welcoming. We had tried for an early arrival and were turned down - we arrived exactly at 3 for our 3 PM check in only to be told we couldn't check in because there was a photo shoot going on. We were corralled into an area, then told to move against the wall as to not interfere with long shots from the photo shoot. No apologies, and really staff seemed to think we should be excited to be delayed by others who were so much more important than mere guests. This held over to being escorted to the room - the only time we saw the staff person animated was when she described the mirrors in the room were modeled on those at French fashion shows. The hallway is plain and the room doors look like elevators. Upon arrival a lackluster bowl of grocery store apples adorned the table at the elevator on our floor but not long afterward that had disappeared leaving the elevator and room doors to all look the same. The room has typical amenities in a high end hotel - it was spacious, comfortable, modern - but not special. The only way to watch the oversized television is to have a subscription to HBO, Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime. Once we realized there was no television service other than what you could log into on your phone, it was easy enough to use - but we spend some time trying to find the channels provided with the room first, before realizing there was none. There are some yoga and exercise videos that can be accessed though, even if you don't have your own video service to log into. The absolute lack of any art other than an odd photo in our room added to the lackluster appeal of the the hallway and room. The elevator from the concierge to the the pool and street level operated normally but the elevators to/from the room floors operated fairly slowly. Decent toiletries are provided in the room and in generous, full size amounts. Towels and robes are lovely. The environmental controls - lights, temperature, shades - are easily controlled by the provided iPad. There was an odd flashing green light from the ceiling that blinked all night - with the room darkening shades it was particularly noticeable. Ultimately we put a pillow on top of the cabinet to reduce the impact. From the 29th floor traffic was louder than similar floors in other hotels in NYC. Being right near the West Side Highway and the helicopter launches created a fairly consistent noise. The hotel restaurant was superb - some of the nicest staff we ran into (except one staffer - Jeff - who was the most welcoming, helpful and informative of all) as well as a very good menu of very good food, excellent service and a little bit of brightness in the decor. Overall, for us, we went for the pool and it was worth it. It's a terrific location too. But if you just want a luxurious, nicely decorated accommodation around midtown, with excellent service and there are better options.

What I find interesting from the reviews above is that the ATTITUDE is typical of EQUINOX and I believe that it is something that is going to have to change (in the near and short term) given all of this brouhaha. Most of the clientele might be elitist but they are that without the attitude. I've heard that the management of EQUINOX is very concerned about this. People had already been rumbling about the costs of the gym and employees were complaining because they weren't making any money but the quotas kept going up. I think that they're trying to come up with something that makes the members feel more value without the gym actually really having to give up anything.

The post at R143 (and i realize you are just cut and pasting from TA) is fascinating because WTF comes to NYC to spend their time at a crowded hotel pool and then in their room watching TV and trying on robes.

The location is terrible, there is nothing there except the Short Hills Mall East, it's completely deserted at night and it's far from anything you might want to do in NYC regardless if you're there for work or vacation. (Unless, of course, your client is one of the companies in the Hudson Yards building.

Ohhhh, yeah.... The reviews are true. Miss "Bar Exam" posted on YELP too and... with pictures;

8/9/2019

Truly the worst hotel I have ever been to. I wish I chose to stay somewhere else, staying at the equinox hotel ruined my most special occasion. I chose it because of the location, I came for my bar exam. I couldn't sleep because of the construction, the alarms that went off for hours, and the men outside my window at 6am. I would like to specifically point out how incredibly rude and unprofessional two of the managers there are. Emily Kopelman and Alec Spycher. I have never encountered anyone like you. The way you treated my family and I was despicable. You ruined what was supposed to be the most important time of my life. I had to take to my Bar exam on three hours of sleep because you made me cry and harassed me in the lobby. I wish I never stayed here.

WOW! What's up with the staff?

8/12/2019

We recently stayed at this brand spanking new hotel for 4 nights. Thoroughly enjoyed the experience and service except for one hiccup - the Spa.

It. doesn't. exist.

We booked 2 massages, arrived early to enjoy the "facilities" only to be told that the spa was not ready yet. So we check in, go back into the main lobby and take the elevator up to 2 treatment rooms which were simply guestrooms with a massage table. Not to mention all the construction noise outside. No robe, no sauna, no pre-treatment quiet area, no nothing. This was never mentioned during the booking process. So one hour and $600+ later, we find ourselves frustrated and venting to some friends. A manager overhears us and responds with the most dismissive attitude. For a hotel that boasts wellness, balance, and exceptional service, this particular event certainly was not.

A shame that this ruined an otherwise flawless hotel experience.

In good passive consumer mode, I didn't notice in 2017 Equinox cut health care for p/t employees.

[quote] Equinox employees working less than 30 hours per week or 130 hours per month are no longer eligible for the company's top-tier healthcare packages, the Bloomberg story said. Now, part-time employees can only enroll in the Basic Plan, a self-described “limited medical plan” primarily focused on preventive services. This includes a 50 percent discount card for prescriptions and two allotted doctor visits per year, Bloomberg reported.

I realize that's common for p/t workers to have little or no health insurance. I realize it is expensive for a company to pay for all those plans. What if they won't give you the extra hours? What if it's not someone's fault when the best job they can get can't cover their bills, ahem, Ben Shapiro? What if on your salary you couldn't pay for another plan? That healthcare says... you're young and single! Don't get sick or anything! Your anti-depressants cost $60.

This is the bullshit email that went out to members this morning from Harvey Spevak:

To our Equinox Community -

The last week has been difficult for all. I am sorry for the impact it has had on our community – and I’m sorry we haven’t said more. We have not been ignoring the situation. I have been in our clubs listening to our teams and members. I really appreciate the open and honest feedback I received. It’s been heartfelt and, in many instances, emotional. I’m proud that even during this difficult time our community is one that listens and respects each other.

Many of you have asked for clarification on Stephen Ross’s investment in Equinox. Mr. Ross is not the majority investor in Equinox. He is one of the investors including myself. He does not run the company. I do. I am the Executive Chairman of Equinox and have led the vision and strategic direction of the company since I joined in 1999. Our focus has always been about building a community centered on our values, not politics.

When I joined Equinox over 20 years ago, I worked with our then small team to create values that would guide us forward. They are the foundation of our culture, a culture based on equality, diversity, inclusivity, integrity, empathy and mutual respect. A community where everyone is welcome.

We live our values every day, which means giving back to the communities that have given us so much. We have helped Cycle for Survival raise $42 million for rare cancer research this year alone. We have trained injured veterans returning from war zones to climb the seven highest summits through The Heroes Project. We have partnered with Move for Minds to raise funds and awareness around brain health and women-based Alzheimer’s research. We have worked with The Felix Organization, a charity focused on enriching lives of children in foster care. And we have been a proud partner of House Lives Matter, supporting the House Ballroom Community comprised of sexual and gender minority people of color (LGBTQ and gender non-conforming). Every one of these commitments was started with a single idea reflecting the priorities of our members and employees.

While I don’t have all the answers, what we have heard from many of you is that you would like Equinox to immediately help amplify your voice in support of causes we as a community have always held close. As a next step, Equinox will make a $1 million donation to benefit the five charities mentioned above. From August 17 through August 31, every check-in will be an opportunity for our members and employees to select how our donation will be allocated among the causes.

I want to thank our amazing team and all they do in service of you, our members. It pains me to see how this has been impacting them and I am truly grateful for their commitment, passion and dedication. We will continue to listen to your thoughts and ideas, and while we have a lot of work to do, I am confident that together we will come out a stronger community.

With gratitude,

Harvey Spevak EQUINOX | Executive Chairman, Managing Partner

LOL, R149! They are soooo nervous that they sent me the same letter twice! You see? Just like someone noted above;

[quote] I think that they're trying to come up with something that makes the members feel more value without the gym actually really having to give up anything.

LOL!

Yes, R150 apparently the letters went out twice to everyone.

But the real question is... WHY HAVENT YOU CANCELLED?????

Wow, Harvey really doesn't get it. I hope more people drop their memberships and that employees start to quit.

It may not be as black & white for some as it is for you, R151. Akin to coming out of the closet, as an example, or many other personal decisions, it is a personal journey. You're making assumptions about others without fully knowing all of their facts and circumstances. Or, what others are doing that will prove to be much more effective in the long run opposed to those who stomp their feet and make a simple phone call to cancel.

R153 = Aaron Schock

Nope. I have a much more firmer and muscular ass.

Rag & Bone yanks fashion show from Stephen Ross’ Hudson Yards

The fallout continues for Related Cos.’ Stephen Ross following his Hamptons fundraiser for President Trump.

Last week, there was a major campaign to boycott Ross’ Equinox and SoulCycle gyms. And now major clothing designer Rag & Bone is pulling its September Fashion Week show from Ross’ Hudson Yards development, a source told WWD.

Designer Prabal Gurung has also moved his show away from the West Side area’s giant shawarma-shaped climbable sculpture, the Vessel.

Gurung tweeted that he didn’t do it to be “part of the cancel culture” but “to question these individuals whose motivation seems to be nothing but $$$.”

Do enlighten us on what you're doing that is so much more effective.

[quote]Nope. I have a much more firmer and muscular ass.

...but not a firmer grasp of grammar!

^Don't hate me because you made yourself look like a hysterical, screeching, dumb ass...

^I don't. I hate you because of your poor grammar and your being such a dumb ass you didn't catch the joke.

But again, do enlighten us on what you're doing that is so much more effective.

Ha. I told you bitches they wouldn't care because they knew hardly anyone would cancel.

And of course people have reasons theyll never actually explain but only allude to.

Ha. I told you bitches they wouldn't care because they knew hardly anyone would cancel.

And of course people have reasons theyll never actually explain but only allude to.

There's a million dollar donation 👀

“Donation.” More like an attempted bribe to attempt to quell the dispute. Such bullshit.

How much money was raised at the Trump fundraiser? That's how much money they should donate to charity to make amends with their customers.

Hmm.... How timely and interesting:

mycatalyst345 wrote a review Yesterday San Francisco, California 3 contributions

Excellent experience where service impressed me above all else!

While I am not an avid TripAdvisor user, I decided to look up Equinox Hotel in New York today, after I had stayed there at the end of July 2019. I was shocked to find so many negative reviews and felt compelled to write about my experience here. Not trying to be accusatory, and while the negative reviews already posted about this hotel probably are legitimate, the whole thing with Equinox and Related (and their CEO and Donald Trump, blah blah), makes me wonder if those reviews are genuine.

I visited this hotel at the end of July 2019. I arrived at roughly 2:00pm, and while I previously lived in the Chelsea neighborhood, this was my first visit to "Hudson Yards." While I did have some difficulty locating the entrance to the hotel, I was greeted by a friendly security-esque guard, who escorted me to the lobby on the 25th floor. I was immediately greeted by a front desk agent named Aaron who looked up my reservation and told me about the property.

This was my last hotel in New York, having stayed the previous nights at the Dream Hotel in the Meatpacking District. While the Dream hotel is "fun," the service is nowhere near what I experienced at Equinox. As if I were a celebrity, Aaron personally escorted me to my room, detailed how the in-room technology worked (the "frosted glass" between the shower and bedroom was a very cool touch). I was also welcomed with two bottles of water, as well as a plate of chocolates. To note, later in the day, I spotted Aaron again, who greeted me by name, and took the time to walk me around the fitness center, the pool area, and the restaurant. The Dream Hotel where I previously stayed also had a pool, and like the pool at Equinox, it was full of 20-something "Instagram" types. When I go to New York City, I don't think of "pools" and think it was about the same as any other NYC hotel pool.

In contrast to the other reviewers of this property, I think it's worth mentioning that the TV DOES have plenty of local TV stations to watch, which are free (I found all the major networks in the "Live TV" app), as well as some nicely curated fitness content, and the usual streaming platforms, which I did not use, but was able to log into. Most importantly, I found the night's sleep here absolutely exceptional. The bedside iPad made it easy to adjust lighting and temperature, and coming from someone who lived in this neighborhood, I can say that this is NOT a noisy hotel. I did not ever hear anything more than construction, which was certainly muted by the windows, and that started around 9:00am. I never heard other guests, helicopters, cars, nothing at all (the same could not be said for the Dream Hotel).

In all, I think the "negative" reviews of this property should be taken with a grain of salt. While they may be legitimate, this was certainly not my experience, and I will return to this hotel for the service alone. I do enjoy the newness of the property, though as noted, the rooms are as modern and laid out similar to other modern hotels; they're not overly spacious, but I'd say larger than traditional New York City hotels.

He forgot to add "and I don't work for a PR company or social media firm. Nope. Never even heard of such a thing. My positive review is 100% genuine!"

Hi R156, Do you know who the current CEO of Rag-n-Bone is? I'm curious because about 6 years ago I met the then CEO and he was rabid anti-Obama. I can't remember his name, though. I only can recall he was French by birth.

@R168

Wiki:

[quote]Rag & Bone was founded in 2002 by Nathan Bogle and Marcus Wainwright.[2] In 2004 the label launched with a men's line and a women's line followed in 2005. In 2006, Bogle left the company and David Neville, who joined the company in 2005, became partner with Wainwright.[3][4] With the help of footwear designer Tull Price, former owner of Royal Elastics and current co-owner of FEIT, Rag & Bone Footwear was founded in 2008.

The company did hire a woman, Stefanie Strack, to be the CEO but she only held the position for like 5-6 months before leaving the position in January of this year (2019)

Thanks for helping out, R169. Sorry to bother you.

I actually totally had the wrong company.

Re: R147 & R148, many of the employees - including massage therapists and personal trainers - are paid only for the time they spend "in session" or working with clients. So, if someone is scheduled to work in the club for 8 hours in a day, their actual work time may be only the 5 hours they spend working with clients. So, accumulating the minimum 30 hours of paid time in order to receive medical coverage is actually even more difficult in reality than it sounds because they may need to be scheduled in the club for 40 (again, some of which is non-paid time).

FYI. I just received this....

This last week at my club seemed to have fairly light turnout during the day, although it was back-to-school week for the kids here, so that could be partially to blame. Today seemed more normal in terms of attendance. I'm curious to see what it's like this weekend. Anyone who was thinking of cancelling due to the fundraiser fiasco already has done so. I did see a few folks meeting with membership advisors this week.

[quote]Anyone who was thinking of cancelling due to the fundraiser fiasco already has done so.

I’m guessing you’re not one of those who felt compelled to do so.

R172 Pandering, patronizing: How much does your dignity cost?

Equinox is running ads on Nextdoor about an Exclusive August Offer for new members. Clicking the link brings up the attached page, which lists some nice amenities. However, these are NOT anything special; these are the usual items included when joining. Not sure how this counts as an exclusive offer, Equinox. Seems disingenuous.

"Access to the shop, the spa, and the juice bar..."

This is an amenity? Funny, considering anyone who walks in off the street has the same access to these things as a member does.

Well, that's the typical EQUINOX attitude, R177. They won't give an inch, (thus far), in giving the membership any kind of financial break. Now, I'll admit to being quite naive and maybe not on the same level of your average EQUINOX member, but what facility like such won't give any type of discount if you prepay a year in advance? Okay, I'll admit to doing this myself for one year of my membership's tenure with the gym. Without checking, I just swept over a full year of membership fees assuming there would be some sort of discount break, (I know... I know... it was a STUPID thing to do), and when I inquired after the fact--I called myself trying to get an adjustment, I was told that there was no such thing. The gym would just deduct my monthly membership amount from the money that I had on my account. I didn't push it any further because I knew I was going to be paying the money anyway and this would just be a bill that would be out of my hair. But, what I did was effectively give the gym a large sum of my money for its use without receiving, not even a penny as thanks, for my "generosity" and loyalty. So, I'm not surprised by how the gym constructed this "apology to members" program and the also the offer that you have cited.

FYI: The Hotel

I say it still is not worth the money. Once again, a perfect example of not really getting value (in my opinion) considering all of the money the customer is spending.

FYI: Another one (without all of the talking and shorter time)

R179 That couple was annoying AF.

The problem in NYC is that there’s no alternative.

What would be your hesitance re CRUNCH and/or NYSC, R182?

I'm not R182 but the answer is that they are just not of the same tier. The seminal question posed was is Equinox worth more than $225/month. Some have argued yes and some no. Crunch is about $100/month. Blink is, what, about $65?

The Related Co. is able to charge more than double the rate for Equinox than Crunch or NYSC (three and four times the rate of Blink and Planet Fitness) and, by the nature of this thread's existence, it MIGHT be worth it. The only possible options in the upper tier are New York Health and Racquet Club and/or Chelsea Piers

Well, Blink wouildn't be an option. If anyone's considering Blink an option in boycotting Equinox, be aware they're the same company so you might as well stay at Equinox.

Not really, R185. Never the twain shall meet. In fact, I will say that you get more value at Blink than you do at EQUINOX. I was a member at BLINK (I forgot what I paid but it was really cheap) and for like an extra $20 added to my monthly membership I could bring a guest unlimited as long as I was in the gym with them. Of course, I brought my personal trainer--as did many, many, other people.

Okay... Blink has only 2 showers in the men's locker room. Depending on the time that you go, the locker room could be over crowded. And, they did not furnish a towel. However, the gym was very clean and all of the equipment worked.

$238/month versus $30/month?

Oh! The point I wanted to make; An EQUINOX member cannot go to workout at BLINK and God forbid if a BLINK member is allowed to even set foot into an EQUINOX!

You missed the point entirely, R186. The POINT is that if one is considering Blink as an alternative so they can boycott Equinox, there's no point. There isn't.

No, I got your point, R188. I read some article that there are a lot of BLINK members who were not aware that the gym is owned by EQUINOX.

I know that was my point in bringing it up.

And a good business practice would have been for Equinox to allow its members to access Blink as a perk... especially considering they raised rates for Equinox members at that time solely to help get Blink up and running.

But of course, Equinox has proven time and time again, they don't give two shits and won't give members an inch. I predicted upthread that they wouldn't do shit about a boycott because they wouldn't care, and I was right.

HOW MUCH IS YOUR DIGNITY WORTH?

R58, the link worked for me.

Here's one to check out

CompleteBody - the only Independent gym chain in Manhattan. Owned by two dads with three kids.

At CompleteBody we support and are inclusive of all backgrounds and cultures.

It's been about 2 weeks now since this disclosure came out. I've been an EQX member for a while. I'm in SF, which seems to be ground zero for a lot of talk & shaming, but little legit action. The first weekend the gym was pretty quiet (the news dropped right before the weekend), but I did still see a lot of gays/regulars. By Monday, it seemed pretty much back to normal. 2 weeks later, it's like it has never happened and nobody is even talking about it. They are offering $1 for every check in up to 1M to go to 1 of 5 charities. The EQX app now has a community section where people can talk. All the people who were hard core quitting and shaming are now having a "reluctant change of heart" b/c of the donations (which is really nothing) and of course their worry about the poor employees (who they typically skewer in Yelp reviews) losing their jobs. I'm sure some quit, but bottom line is that there just isn't a better option in most cities (at least not in LA/SF that isn't a hugely expensive country club or very exclusive city club). Most people talk and preach, but aren't willing to inconvenience themselves for the cause. I really applaud the people that took a stand, but cringe at all those who jumped on the bandwagon only to stay. Soul Cycle would be a harder sell. At least EQX doesn't preach a lot of spiritual values - it's vapid and superficial, it is what it is. Soul Cycle wants to be something different & as someone else said, there are actually lateral options for SC where one can get the same experience.

People are too snooty. A treadmill is a treadmill is a treadmill

It's been discussed here (or, the previous thread) that EQUINOX really doesn't offer anything better. What? Eucalyptus towels--which I barely use; a higher thread count towel--big whoop; cleanliness--most gyms are clean. There really isn't much more. Keihl's products? Let's ALL join!

Soul Cycle would be so easy to quit because you have class packs not memberships. Also, it's the same as any spinning class anywhere with a little pretense of an upper body workout: a few arm weight reps thrown in at the end.

The "A treadmill is a treadmill." troll is back. Shouldn't you be packing your gym bag with towels, soap, and an industrial strength padlock for your workout at El Cheapo Gym?

[quote]cleanliness--most gyms are clean.

Hahaha. Well, you tried it.

I've been a member of most gyms in NYC, R198. Of all of the many locations that I have been in they have been clean or clean enough. Were some of these locations old? Yes. But, they were clean or clean enough.

R197, I have no idea of who you are referring to. I've followed this thread and the earlier one. I recall no such poster. Nor, am I that person. But, it is a true comment. How does the treadmill in EQUINOX differ from the one in CRUNCH or NYSC?

NYSC is disgusting

[quote]Of all of the many locations that I have been in they have been clean or clean enough. Were some of these locations old? Yes. But, they were clean or clean enough.

I question your standards then. NYSC is fucking gross.

You're welcome to question it all that you want, R201. I'm not a fussbudget. As long as the equipment is working, I don't see mold, and I smell Clorox, I'm fine.

Trump has done way more for Black people than any Democratic President including Obama. Democrats have always pushed "increased welfare, food stamps etc" for minorities while Trump has focused on the economy which is why black and hispanic unemployment is at an all time low. Wow, this sounds so racist to me. I supposed all the minorities who vote for Trump are racist too. #MAGA

Apparently.

But let's be clear. NYSCs are mostly not clean or clean enough.

I pay $215 monthly for Equinox all access through a corporate membership. What do others pay?

I’m fed up, pay WAY more than I want to, and looking for alternatives for weights, cardio and spinning classes. I assume deals must be better somewhere else in NYC.

R203 — sure, Jan. 🙄

What a bunch of nonsense. No one but delusional MAGAts believe that ridiculous collection of falsehoods and half-truths.

[quote]I pay $215 monthly for Equinox all access through a corporate membership.

REALLY??? THAT'S THE "CORPORATE" RATE?????

Now, c'mon folks... we're all being taken to the bank here!

R205, I pay $238/month for Equinox all access. That's not much of a difference.

This is just crazy...

Every nysc locker room I’ve been to smelled like homeless people and I had shoes stolen from the locker room twice (fresh after running 5 or more miles).

Equinox may be more expensive, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s money well spent.

The whole Trump fundraiser was disheartening, but that was the action of a single rich individual, not EQX. If he didn’t earn a dime from EQX, he’d still be a billionaire . If there were similar gym options, I’d jump ship, but I value my workouts, so will stay for now.

Not to say "I told you so" (because that would be petty and immature) but R208 is what I was talking about: there really is no alternative to Equinox in Manhattan, at least not among traditional globo gyms, and so getting people to actually quit (versus liking a post on IG that says Equinox is bad) is going to be tough.

Actually... if you are in Hells Kitchen, it seems there's a branch of Life Time which is mostly in the burbs and at the same price point as Equinox.

No idea what this location is like but if you're into that sort of gym, it might be an alternative

R210, If I'm not mistaken someone I used to temp with had a membership there that she constantly raved about. I believe she had a SAG discount rate (which may have had restricted hours of access)

Is Barry's Bootcamp annoying?

The Cockgobbler loves BB.

Well, the CEO of BB is gay AND I do believe that he is a Republican and a Trump supporter.

Anyway, I'm not a fan of BB. While I'm in shape, I just don't trust those crossfit and intense cardio classes of which I can't go my own pace.

Kind of funny though

[quote]How did Ross expect this to go over?

Uhm, he's a rich, entitled NY Jewish real estate billionaire. He actually doesn't give a fuck how it "goes over", all reports of fretting to the contrary.

Barry's Boot Camp is not remotely like Crossfit.

R210, I belonged to Lifetime Fitness in the midwest (and, yes, I was a member of Planet Fitness during some financially lean years and also of Equinox since some huge change-of-life circumstances). I haven't been to the one in NYC, but I can say that Lifetime is "upscale" only in their marketing. Yes, they're relatively nice buildings, they're generally clean, and they have a good amount of equipment, but Lifetime is definitely not upscale or luxury in a way that east or west coast folks would want. It is WAY better that Planet Fitness. To be fair, I did find a great, knowledgable pair of massage therapists at Lifetime who helped me with some injuries. One location that I frequented had 3 pools and tennis courts. However, the locations cater to children's camps in the summer so the pools, locker rooms, lobby, eating area, etc., were swarming with noisy kids. Showers are just stalls with plastic curtains. Staff strut around in cheap suits and dresses to look "upscale" but they look like they're wearing their funeral clothes bought at Marshalls. Yes, it's great that folks are working out there and that people are employed. However, Lifetime is not truly upscale/luxury as it claims to be. It's like saying Olive Garden is upscale when you usually eat at McDonalds.

By “eating area” you mean what?

Thanks for the input R218, always good to hear from someone with hands on experience.

You guys, Crunch is FINE. What is the big deal here?

[quote]You guys, Crunch is FINE. What is the big deal here?

THEY'RE SNOBS!!!!!

R219, I meant what various clubs call their juice bar, cafeteria, etc. Some places sell only smoothies, some sell food, some sell drinks and fruit.

R224 = Just your average day at Equinox

Now, this is interesting....

I've never known EQUINOX to do either of the following two things;

-A friend of mine said that she received an unsolicited flyer in the mail about joining the gym. She laughed at it and wanted to let me know since she was aware of my issues with the gym. We both summed it up that maybe the gym was planning on opening a location in her neighborhood.

But....

-In the locker room and on the bench was this "Spread The Love" card. The gym is asking members for referrals. I mean it always did that but I've never seen this card asking for 3 referrals.

R226 I don't know if that really says much. September has always been a big month where they try to push memberships. They did something similar last year.

You're probably right, R227. Well... you are right since you recall it. I personally don't recall them ever doing something so proactive like that.

I thought the referral commission was $250? Has it decreased?

R230, it was 250 when I did it years ago.

I know a trainer there who told me they can get discounts for friends to join. Apparently I’d have to pay 125 a month to rejoin.

Btw, I had quit a year ago long before the scandal.

Okay....

Here's a good article and it is recent too (May 28, 2019). Maybe others are following DataLounge? After reading it, it's clear I'm not using the gym to its full advantage. But, who is at fault there? And, would I use it to its full advantage? How fitness dedicated am I? Maybe I'm just NYSC dedicated.

I went for a little while a few years ago. Equinox is nice and the crowd is certainly prettier. The steam rooms (in certain clubs) are practically sex clubs. But it's fucking FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS A MONTH and , really, you can get the same amount of fitness at other places for significantly less money.

[quote]I know a trainer there who told me they can get discounts for friends to join. Apparently I’d have to pay 125 a month to rejoin.

A few years before I left Equinox, I had gone in to cancel my membership. The Membership Advisor tried to talk me out of it but I wasn't interested in sticking around. He made me an offer, that I could have my membership for free, as long as I would continue working out there a few times a week. He basically relayed that it "helped" the gym gain and retain memberships .He laid on a spiel about how Equinox's image is young, hot, fit, sexy and they needed members like me to help other members believe they could achieve their fitness goals. I took him up on the offer and stuck around another two years or so.

Additionally, I ended up getting training sessions, 3 per week, for free. One of the trainers approached me and made the offer, presumably for the same reasons, the belief that if others saw what kind of clients he had, it would boost his business.

^That was a GREAT deal, R234!

In fact, that was a gift R234. I had something similar but at another gym. I wrote a really good review for David Barton/Limelight and the gym gave me 26 free training sessions with a trainer that I was working with. It's like winning a LOTTO ticket!

Equixox founder selling his house for $8.8 million. In addition to major Trump and GOP funding, this is what your membership buys.

Taking My Short Shorts Elsewhere--OCTOBER 02, 2019

Hello, world—it's been a while. A lot has happened since my last post, but most pertinent here was the August controversy surrounding Equinox.

Some background for those of you who might be unfamiliar: Equinox is a chain of high-end gyms concentrated around the New York area. Indeed, Equinox holds a veritable monopoly over the high-end gym market throughout Manhattan. The term "high-end", in this context, simply means someplace where you can comfortably shower and change clothes without fear of bacterial infection. It's a relatively low bar, but Equinox is one of the few gyms in Manhattan capable of meeting it. And for working professionals, a clean shower and locker room are basically "must haves" for a gym in NYC.

I've been a member of Equinox since June 2015. In those four years, I've made a lot of friends and professional connections through the gym. As a non-drinker, non-partier, overall boring person, the gym is my primary social activity. For me, "going out" means lifting heavy objects.

In August, the majority shareholder of Equinox—the person to whom our money presumably goes to most—held a fundraiser in the Hamptons to benefit Trump's election campaign. The backlash was swift and severe, with many calling for a boycott of Equinox. Hell indeed hath no fury like a gay man's scorn.

But, again, gym alternatives to Equinox are scarce in Manhattan. It was not so simple for everyone to just immediately quit Equinox. Still, I wanted to at least try to find an alternative—so I went scouting other gyms.

Midway through this hunt for another gym, Equinox helped make my decision even easier. One Sunday afternoon, an Equinox salesperson had the gall to ask me to change into looser shorts. Now, now...I am fully aware that my typical gym shorts are rather tight and short. They're booty-huggers, for sure. But they aren't any tighter, shorter, or more revealing than anything else other gymgoers wear (especially in Hell's Kitchen).

Yet, I got singled-out. The salesperson claimed that another member complained about my attire. If that were true, the correct response would have been to politely inform the member that my attire did not violate the gym's dress code. Instead, and without any explanation, the salesperson chose to approach me and simply began by asking, "Do you have another pair of shorts you can change into?"

My response was perfectly polite outwardly, but I was fuming internally. This happened less than a week after news of the Trump fundraiser broke. And as a fairly apparent gay man, that salesperson had rubbed salt in a very fresh wound. Perhaps it was intentional; to push me over the fence into leaving Equinox.

Regardless, it got me questioning just how much Equinox actually supported the LGBT community. And I soon realized: it doesn't, unless there's money to be made. Equinox doesn’t even put Pride flags on their storefronts like literally every other business in NYC. And when I asked Equinox's management to help me host a Pride-themed event this past June, they brushed me off without a care in the world. But they will certainly make Pride-themed promotional videos and sell Equinox-branded hats and apparel in rainbow color, for all the gay men to throw their money at and wear around as free advertising (myself included).

Each year, some criticize the commercialization of Pride Month and the LGBT community. I argue Equinox is the worst offender. They have exploited gay men's stereotypical desires for status and physical beauty, while taking their money and doing nothing to advance LGBT rights. They have, by extension, opposed LGBT rights via it's majority shareholder's support for Trump.

(Part 2)

I let myself fall prey to their manipulation, but no more. On Friday, my 45-day notice period will expire and I will no longer be a member of Equinox. Some of you would probably think it silly for me to commit so much thought and energy into this issue, but you underestimate just how much time I spend at the gym and how much of my social life centers around it. Almost all of my close friends are persons I met at Equinox or friends of someone else I met there. This will be a seismic shift to my social life, daily routine, and training regime. So yes, naturally, it has made me quite anxious.

But I am willing to take those risks to avoid supporting Equinox. I do not pass judgment on my friends and other LGBT persons who choose to remain members. As I mentioned at the beginning, there are a lot of reasons why alternatives might not be available. Nor do I want to criticize Equinox’s employees, many of whom are wonderful people I consider good friends. But I do ask that you think twice before doing anything extra to support Equinox, before buying or wearing that stylish hat with the Equinox logo in rainbow color. You might as well be wearing a red MAGA hat.

Oh Shirley, you are so dramatic.

Too tight? Too short?

So he didn't care about the owner's support of Drumpf... That wasn't enough for him to cancel... He only cared when his own personal freedom to let his balls hang out were infringed upon. NOW he's able to find another gym to go to and he wants to tell his story so people will also quit in support of his ass cheeks! How lovely!

It can't be use towards membership fees?

R243 you used to be able to use it towards Membership Fees... but maybe that's when the referral was $250.

I recall that, R244. What the gym is doing is making sure all proceeds come back to them in some sort of fashion. That's why I found the ad interesting. Very slimy on their part, in my opinion.

I’m a long term Equinox member and would quit in a second if I could find another gym in NYC with multiple branches, nice locker rooms, good equipment and spin classes.

I received an offer yesterday for two free training sessions. That’s never happened before. Of course I understand they’re trying to sell me training after the two free sessions but either way it makes me think they’re in some trouble.

[quote]it makes me think they’re in some trouble.

I've thought the same too. I don't think they're in trouble but the dollars are getting tight given all what it wants to do. That's why they are squeezing the members.

I've been getting sale offers from Equinox at a pretty steady clip recently. I'm thinking this whole episode did real damage to their bottom line.

It's a business. It has revenue projections to meet. Of course with reduced membership fees due to cancellations as a result of the fundraiser issue, it needs to bump up revenue, particularly for the last quarter of the year, so we're getting more frequent offers/reminders. I wouldn't be surprised if some clubs lay off a small percentage of non-commission staff to reduce costs (e.g., maintenance, front desk, and management) by the end of the year.

I want to see what the offers look like in the following month. August/September have always traditionally been been heavy advertising months for them, or has been, for at least the past 10 years, with September being the month they offer the biggest, "incentives."

My membership just increased by $10/month

They’ve stopped providing hair gel in the men’s locker room. The Greenwich Ave manager said they can no longer get it from their supplier.

I told him now was the wrong time for Equinox to be reducing services and amenities.

Of course there’s still hairspray for anyone who still uses it in 2019.

WHAT? No more hair gel? NO. MORE. HAIR. GEL! (smile)

I just playing with you, R252. But, it is those little things that members are going to have to take note of. And, you're 100% right! This is NOT the time for Equinox to be reducing services and amenities in any way! I am very ticked that the weight scale in the Grand Central location has been out of order for a full week now.

The management must be pressuring each location to up its financial performance. The trainers must be REALLY suffering. I've never received so many solicitations from them than I have this year. I've made it known to certain trainers that I'd rather pay them directly outside of the gym rather than pay them the Equinox prices.

[quote]My membership just increased by $10/month

MMPH! I always thought they raised prices in the new year. Also, they gone from their standard $5 increase to $10? That would mean I would be paying $248/month. .....

Anyone know what is happening with CRUNCH in NYC? They don't seem to be advertising as much.

They increased their yearly pricing from $5 to $10 about three years ago. I won't be surprised if it goes up to $15.

As far as gel is concerned. Several of my gyms still have gel but many of the other locations stopped carrying it a year or two ago... while some never carried it. I do wonder how each location decides which amenities to have. I think a few locations don't have antiperspirant.

To me, Crunch hits a nice sweet spot. It's not too expensive like Equinox and that ilk and it's not a fucking dump like NYSC or Blink.

I’ve noticed that all the InstaHos who went silent about Equinox during the height of the controversy have apparently gotten over the reticence because they are back to tagging themselves there.

The shampoo and body wash were totally watered down at Greenwich Ave today. I thought I was dreaming but both were noticeably altered.

Either this month’s delivery is late or they’re trying to serve some money.

I came really hard in the sauna on Sunday after a hard workout. It was a great way to end a workout. Sunday afternoons are the day when it's easier to hookup.

Which location, R258? Very few of them have saunas.

[quote]

In Retrospect, Everything About Equinox and SoulCycle Screamed “MAGA Billionaire”

The cult-like fitness studios revolve around dark, exclusive spaces—what could be more sinister than that?

BY ERIN VANDERHOOF

The MAGA problems plaguing the Hamptons all summer spilled over onto the toniest workout machines in Manhattan on Tuesday, when news broke of a $100,000-a-plate Trump fund-raiser to be hosted in Southampton this weekend by, among others, Stephen Ross, a billionaire real estate developer and owner of the Related Companies, which counts the upscale fitness brands Equinox and SoulCycle among its subsidiaries. Money from the fund-raiser will go to Trump Victory, a super PAC supporting Trump’s reelection bid and the Republican National Committee, according to the Washington Post, which first reported on the event.

Celebrities like Billy Eichner and Chrissy Teigen expressed their displeasure on Twitter and mentioned that they cancelled their memberships. Within hours, a full-fledged boycott movement had emerged on Twitter—and both Equinox and SoulCycle felt sufficiently threatened to issue statements that emphasized the fact that company profits don’t go to political causes. Equinox specifically described Ross as a “passive investor” who “is not involved in the management of either business.” The fund-raiser, as of Thursday, is set to go on as planned.

But it clearly touched a nerve, and that has a lot to do with the Equinox business strategy and the way they’ve built their brands. The company, which only has locations in large or relatively affluent cities, charges exponentially more for a membership than budget gyms, and for that price, members are buying perks and a lifestyle. Much has been made of the cheery, upbeat philosophy that turns SoulCycle into an “inspirational” and “tribal” experience, as its website puts it. The company has made explicit marketing pushes to LGBTQ consumers, and has partnered with and supported LGBTQ nonprofits.

In Manhattan, where a mere 10% of residents voted for Trump, there are 31 Equinox gyms and 18 SoulCycle studios. It’s fairly safe to assume that the brand's young, affluent target audience does not want to pay hundreds per month to be even tangentially associated with the current administration. Under Ross, the Related Companies acquired Equinox’s and SoulCycle’s parent company, Equinox Holdings, for $505 million in 2005, and Ross remains chairman and majority owner of Related. Ross was also a major donor to Mitt Romney’s campaign in 2012, so his conservative values haven’t been a problem in the past.

It’s impossible to know how many people threatening an Equinox boycott will actually follow through and affect the company’s bottom line—onerous cancellation fees might keep many outraged people in place. To have a SoulCycle or Equinox membership to cancel in the first place is already a form of bragging, a promise of fealty to a gym that is identity and ideology all wrapped up in one. It all seems at least a little sinister now, though, doesn't it? An Equinox gym in New York City is a mood-lit citadel—juice bar and outfitter beckoning from street level, dark glass snaking up the rest of the way. It is designed, in its way, to both attract the right people and exclude the wrong. Turns out its billionaire ”passive investor” supports the guy who wants to build a wall. Maybe we should’ve seen that one coming.

[quote] To have a SoulCycle or Equinox membership to cancel in the first place

My understanding (and seemingly confirmed by the website) is that there's no such thing as a SoulCycle "membership", that you just buy a "pack" of ten or twenty or even fifty classes. Or is there an "unlimited" option that doesn't show up on the website?

Because they want $3500 for 50 classes in some super-JAP package which the website claims gives you multiple advantages over lesser beings. Which, is you go 5 days a week is $3500/10 weeks or $17.5K/year which makes pretty much every other gym membership seem like a serious bargain.

FYI for NYC people; The old Clay gym (which WAS luxury) has now reopened as "Complete." There's only one location though.

Membership Includes

Six Guest Passes

*Three Months Locker & Laundry

One Massage

One Personal Training Session

Access to all CompleteBody locations

*Limited time offer, limited availability

I canceled and they continued to bill me after the 45 days had passed. Chase Bank makes it very easy on their website to deny charges so I did that..

This morning I got a ominous voicemail that there is legal action pending against me and that I must return the message immediately--but no company or contact information given other than the phone number (which tracks to Tupelo, MS). I will be most pissed off if I have to proceed any further with these people.

R258 - Most of the California Equinox sports clubs have both steam/sauna (LA/OC also have jacuzzi): WLA, SF, Irvine are a few.

R264 you're talking about the Executive clubs, right? The regular Equinox Clubs, especially in CA, do not have saunas. Off the top of my head the only regular club I can think of in CA that has a sauna is the South Bay one.

The Century City location seems less busy. I had to skip much of June-August. It's less crowdedV now. A lot of the cuter gay/closeted guys seem not to be coming to this location. It's gotten noticeably straighter.

R263, that voicemail has been going around for a while. It's a generic scam to get you to call and provide personal info. Most likely not Eq related. A real lawsuit would be handled much more professionally and legally so that there's a trail of notification.

R265 - The are called Equinox Sports Clubs and the ones that for sure have saunas are: West LA, Irvine/OC, San Francisco...I've cum in all of them. If Reebok is now Equinox in NYC, then I have cum in that sauna as well.

Century City has a sauna and a steam room.

Any other DLers go there?

Century City is mostly old guys who work in CC or live close by. I don't like the new one. The old free standing one was really nice - like a spa and `access to the the old Century Plaza pool was really nice. If you are into hot, hung Persians, WLA is the best with the jacuzzi/wet room set up. I find BH to have the most action in LA - the steam tucked away with that little lounge in the back, perfect for cruising. WeHo, the steam is too accessible and small. If you are into black men/POC, Hollywood is the place to go but trends a little straighter.

Yeah, so as I was saying, very few Equinox clubs have saunas and steams. The only ones in NY that I can think of are Rock Center and Columbus Circle.

Older established guys and young straight professionals at Century City. Hot former Duke lax player with a bit of ass hair. A few possible male models.

Nice guys, basically.

How about the one in Woodland Hills? Anybody been?

R273, what about it?

It's usually middle aged guys that work in the area.

No sauna, just a fishbowl steam room.

Equinox Suites: EQX Two Bedroom Corner Suite--Just Commit

$7,359 -- Per Night, Excluding Taxes & Fees

ABOUT THIS ROOM: Sleeps 6, 2 King1900 sq ft, Two bedrooms with 1 King Bed in each, New York City Skyline View, 1,900 sq ft; 177 sq m

SUITE FEATURES: 2 Bedrooms Separated by a large living room, Dark, Quiet, Cool Sleep Chamber, Each bedroom has a King size bed, Equinox custom beds, handcrafted, all-natural fibers, High grade linen, pillows and two goose down tropical weight duvets, Total blackout window shades, Clinical grade filtered air (MERV 15), Filtered water (MICRON 10), Acoustically isolated guest rooms (STC 55), Turn-down service upon request, 10-foot floor-to-ceiling windows, Yoga mat, stretch band, block and on TV instruction, Private stocked Roombar, stocked with Spa & high-performance products, Complimentary in-room Nespresso beverage system, Iron and board upon request upon request, Laptop-compatible in-room safe, Large Separate living room complete with sitting area and sofa, Dinning table for 6 people Maximum Occupancy: 6

BATHROOM: Powder room off living space, Bathroom ensuite, Stone and travertine bathroom, Free standing soaking tub, Customized shower experience in a 3’ x 6’ shower with three shower heads Grown Alchemist AM & PM products, Stone-topped vanities and magnifying mirror, Large closet and mirrored dressing area

TECHNOLOGY: Mobile guest room key, Complimentary wireless internet, high quality bandwidth - available throughout Hudson Yards, 55-inch (140 centimeters) High Definition TV, Apple TV with streaming options of videos and music, Digital guestroom lighting controls by Lutron, Complimentary electronic worldwide newspapers

STAY FIRST, GET MORE. EXCLUSIVE OPENING OFFER: Receive a complimentary Personal Training session, a $100 USD Spa credit, or SoulCycle classes, with this exclusive launch offer.

Century City is the deadest I’ve seen it

10/15/2018

I should have taken a "before" pic when I started this run because I am getting freakin' jacked bro. For those of you who don't know, I've been visiting all of the NYC Equinox locations and reporting back on the ~vibes~ of the shower situations.

I didn't feel good after I left West 76th. It wasn't a luxurious experience like usual and it was too crowded to get a good workout in. I ended up waiting around doing random stuff while I waited for the machines I wanted. I would take a quiet location over this one any day. The showers and locker room were too busy, too, and weren't as clean or as private as I would have liked.

The definitive Equinox shower power ranking (so far):

1. Rockefeller Center

2. Williamsburg

3. Gramercy

4. East 92nd

5. Sports Club

6. Brookfield Place

7. East 74th

8. Dumbo

9. SoHo

10. Wall St

11. Bond St.

12. Highline

13. Tribeca

14. Park Ave

15. Flatiron

16. Columbus Circle

17. East 54th

18. West 92nd

19. Bryant Park

20. Orchard Street

21. West 76th

22. Greenwich Ave

23. West 50th

24. East 85th

The guy in the video at R277 loves the sauna and steam room at Equinox ... and he's also a homophobic douche.

He is homophobic. He even says “not a homo” when he talked about the showers. How is that even allowed on YouTube? Are racial slurs tolerated?

From the vid R277, you pay 250/mo for cheap-ass barbasol shaving cream and not Gillette gel? Girl, NO.

Too tight? Too short?

Anyone at Century City now?

Here, Now R282

What colors are the shirts of the guys stretching on the big mat, r283?

Do any of the LA trainers escort?

Does anyone frequent the EQUINOX in Brooklyn-DUMBO?

Raw. Inspired. Refined.

Equinox Dumbo is located in a former cardboard box factory, and was inspired by historic neighboring warehouses and artistic enclaves.

Can something be both raw and refined, r286?

I suppose it can be, R287. Maybe Bauhaus design?

Too short?

The guy who made the video at R277 is an ass. He talks about various features and then says he hasn't tried them.

Also, he says there are too many dudes in yoga, which defeats the purpose. Ummm, the purpose is to get in a workout, not to stare at women's asses in the class, weirdo. He's also homophobic in a douche-bro way. He's the jerk that'll wear his earbuds in the steam room and listen to music at full volume and then leave a pile of wet towels on the floor in front of his locker.

Equinox is offering members a fantastic deal... 30% off a stay at their hotel!!!!

[quote]Equinox is offering members a fantastic deal... 30% off a stay at their hotel!!!!

FINALLY! SOMETHING!!!....

Gee... I wonder how many months of meetings did they have to come up with that one?

Working at Equinox: ‘It’s Very Hunger Games’

By David Yaffe-Bellany Dec. 5, 2019

Working for the high-end gym chain seems glamorous, but for many trainers the schedule is unforgiving, the pay low and the turnover high.

Equinox, the high-end gym chain, calls its five-story facility on Greenwich Avenue in Manhattan a “fitness mecca.” It features a juice bar and a boxing studio, a eucalyptus steam room and a saltwater lap pool.

But until a recent renovation, a less glamorous side of Equinox emerged in the gym’s break room: a spindly, wire-framed bunk bed, blocked from view by a shower curtain, where exhausted personal trainers napped between sessions, using towels to fortify mattress pads so thin that some trainers joked they must have been salvaged from a prison.

Since its founding in the 1990s, Equinox has become the nation’s premier high-gloss gym chain by selling itself as a kind of luxury product with a progressive culture. Its gyms dot the cities of blue-state America, and the company proclaims its support for environmental sustainability, professional growth and community building. In August, Equinox explicitly distanced itself from President Trump when Stephen Ross, the chairman of the company that owns a controlling stake in the gym chain, held a fund-raiser for his re-election campaign.

For some personal trainers, though, working at Equinox is more grueling than glamorous, according to court records and interviews with labor lawyers, fitness experts, Equinox managers and nearly 30 current and former Equinox trainers.

While the gym offers a well-regarded professional development program, as well as health insurance and other employee benefits that few fitness chains provide, many Equinox trainers, especially beginners, work exhausting schedules. Some say they can spend 70 or 80 hours a week at the gym — many of them unpaid — hustling to recruit clients, waiting between workouts, planning routines and conducting training sessions. In the gym’s draining environment, new trainers frequently last only a few months, unable to cope with the long hours and low starting pay, interviews show.

The bed at the Greenwich Avenue location was at least a designated place to sleep. Current and former Equinox trainers in Dallas, Boston, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles said they or their colleagues routinely slept in cars, curled up on yoga mats or dozed off with heads resting on tables during long sessions at the gym.

“It’s very ‘Hunger Games’-style,” said Alexander Miotti, a trainer who worked at a Los Angeles Equinox until this summer, when he left after a dispute with his managers. “They’re like, ‘We want you to have a really nice work-life balance.’ But at the same time, ‘How do you expect to be successful if you’re not here for 12 hours a day?’”

(PHOTO: Exhausted trainers at the Equinox on Greenwich Avenue in Manhattan sometimes slept in the basement.Credit...Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times)

2

Upon hiring, Equinox trainers begin a process called “ramping”: roughly 15 to 20 hours a week putting away weights on the gym floor, plus some additional hours of educational sessions, all paid at or slightly above minimum wage. During those floor shifts, trainers are expected to pitch their services to Equinox members working out in the gym. As they start accumulating clients, trainers can convert floor hours into better-compensated training sessions — $26 an hour for beginner trainers and as much as $62 per session for more experienced employees. Trainers who succeed at Equinox pick up enough clients to move from floor shifts to coaching members full time. A complex bonus system allows top earners to make six-figure salaries.

In practice, however, many beginner trainers struggle to recruit enough clients to live comfortably and end up spending unpaid hours at the gym in a bid to improve their numbers. A trainer who worked at an Equinox in Los Angeles said she could not afford to pay her electricity bills during the ramping period and left after five months. Eric Hannah, who worked at Greenwich Avenue in 2014 and 2015, said he sometimes earned only a little over $200 a week. Omar Kharroub, who trained clients at an Equinox in Northern California until August, said he had worked as a DoorDash delivery driver on the side to support himself.

“You have trainers who are making $80,000, $90,000,” said Zdenek Dzur, a trainer who left the Greenwich Avenue location two years ago after nearly a decade at Equinox. “But there were very few, and you have to be like a superman to do that.”

Joe Matarazzo, an Equinox vice president who oversees personal trainers, said the company does not “encourage sleeping at our clubs” and never requires trainers to put in unpaid overtime: Trainers’ per-session rates are meant to cover additional time spent preparing for workouts with clients. And the Greenwich Avenue training staff is set to get a new break room as part of renovations at the facility, he said.

“We work hard to really teach them how to learn time management,” Mr. Matarazzo said.

But he acknowledged that the 50 percent annual turnover rate among the company’s more than 1,000 personal trainers was “not something we’re satisfied with.” Equinox declined to reveal the turnover number for beginner trainers, who make up between 10 and 15 percent of the staff.

Tired trainers are hardly unique to Equinox. As Americans have grown increasingly focused on nutrition and physical fitness, personal training has become one of the fastest-growing occupations in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But the common perception of the job — reinforced by celebrity trainers who show off their impressive physiques on Instagram — is not always the reality. Some gyms do not pay trainers at all for time spent recruiting clients.

Over the last decade, Equinox and other major gym chains have faced class-action lawsuits for failing to properly compensate trainers, whose one-on-one sessions with members provide an important revenue stream. And while they guide the health and fitness routines of hundreds of thousands of Americans, fewer than half of all personal trainers had health insurance the last time the American Council on Exercise conducted a survey, in 2013.

“It really can be a grind,” said Cedric Bryant, the exercise council’s president. “It’s not for the faint of heart.”

Still, some trainers say Equinox offered them opportunities they would not have gotten elsewhere. Giovanni Roselli, a longtime Equinox instructor, said he started at the gym in 2007 with no experience as a personal trainer and rose to become one of the company’s top performers.

“They built me from the ground up,” Mr. Roselli said. “Any trainer, no matter where they work, especially in the beginning, is going to have crazy hours, no matter if you’re at Equinox or anywhere else.”

In part, the long hours at Equinox are a reflection of the reality of any appointment-based profession: Training sessions can be scattered throughout the day.

3

But during the ramping period, beginner trainers at Equinox often find that 20 hours of floor shifts per week is not enough time to recruit a stable base of clients. Mr. Miotti, the trainer in Los Angeles, said a manager had encouraged him to spend unpaid hours writing an email newsletter to woo clients. Mike Denton, a trainer at a Boston Equinox who left the gym in 2016, said one of his bosses had once reprimanded him for taking a weekend off.

“I was told explicitly that I should be there from sometime early in the morning to around 8 p.m. at night,” Mr. Denton said.

Over the years, trainers have sued Equinox in state and federal courts for unpaid overtime. In 2013, Equinox settled two overtime suits in California for $5.65 million.

Last year, Stephanie Rosales, who worked as a personal trainer at one of the company’s Dallas gyms, sued Equinox, seeking unpaid wages. (Ms. Rosales and Equinox agreed to dismiss the case last month.) A former competitive kickboxer, Ms. Rosales said she had spent 80 to 90 hours a week at the gym during her first months on the job.

On a Saturday morning in July 2017, Ms. Rosales said in an interview, she got permission from her Equinox manager to leave work to visit her mother, who had suffered a heart attack in El Paso, a nine-hour drive away.

But when she returned to the gym the next Monday, she said, her manager informed her that for all of August she would have to work a series of minimum-wage shifts picking up weights to make up for canceling sessions over the weekend.

“It’s like I got punished for seeing my mom,” Ms. Rosales said.

Equinox declined to comment on any of the lawsuits but said in a statement that Ms. Rosales’s experience that July “is not reflective of Equinox policy or our values in any way.”

Mr. Matarazzo, the vice president for personal training, said the gym provides trainers with a number of resources for recruiting clients, including lists of people to cold-call and special events where trainers can showcase their skills in front of Equinox members. “In most cases, they’re not working 15 to 20 hours only,” he said. “They have opportunities.”

Still, the profession’s broader unpredictability persists, even for successful trainers: If clients cancel sessions to go on vacations or business trips, a trainer may end up working too few hours to qualify for certain bonuses and have to take a pay cut.

Even established Equinox trainers who fall short of performance benchmarks are sometimes told to resume taking shifts on the floor to accumulate new clients. A longtime trainer at an Equinox in Florida, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of losing his job, said he was once asked to go back to the floor after his numbers dipped when clients were traveling and he took time off for physical therapy after a surgery.

At Equinox, Ms. Rosales spent so many hours marketing herself to clients and supervising workouts that she had little time to stay in shape and gained as much as 30 pounds. Sometimes, she said, she napped at work. Other trainers stowed blankets and pillows in their lockers.

Ms. Rosales now works as a private trainer, coaching clients in Dallas. But when she quit Equinox two years ago, she had no idea what she would do next.

“At that point,” she said, “anything was better than working there.”

What we're paying for:

Equinox is moving into luxury active travel with $6,000 hiking trips to Morocco and a $2,000 running trip through Italy, and it shows the power of 'wellness tourism'

The brand is known for its unlimited workout classes, benefits like Kiehl's products, cold eucalyptus towels, two-hour babysitting, and spa treatments like stone therapy massages. In July, it opened a five-star hotel featuring full access to an Equinox club in New York's Hudson Yards.

Now, it's now venturing into the world of luxury active travel. Last week, Equinox Explore opened its inaugural set of luxury adventure trips for booking in 2020.

The four trips — running in Florence (from $2,350, four days), cycling in the Hudson Valley (from $2,800, three days), hiking in Morocco (from $6,250, six days) and surfing in Costa Rica (from $3,450, six days) — feature multiple departures and are available exclusively to Equinox members and guests.

The 2020 itineraries, an Equinox representative told Business Insider, come on the heels of two launch trips to Morocco in May and September — the first for influencers and press, and the second for members and guests. The focus of the trips was summiting Mount Toubkal, the highest peak in Northern Africa.

"Going to Equinox ... is an undeniable signal of status," Business Insider's Benjamin Goggin wrote in his review of Equinox's New York City branches. "They have expertly crafted a brand that truly evokes luxury, sex, and wellness even when brought up in casual conversation."

(PHOTO: Travelers on Equinox Explore's 2020 Morocco trip will summit Mount Toubkal, the highest peak in Northern Africa. Courtesy Equinox Explore)

Equinox is moving into luxury active travel ....

Trips that serve as extensions of the Equinox experience

Equinox Explore trips are extensions of the Equinox experience, Leah Howe, Senior Director of Retreats and Experiences at Equinox, told Business Insider. Led by teams of Equinox instructors and local guides, they incorporate the brand's three pillars: movement, nutrition, and regeneration, she said.

The Florence trip, which takes place in early April, promises "3- to 8-mile guided morning runs, led by one of our star running coaches" followed by restorative yoga sessions with local instructors and soaks in a 19th-century palazzo's outdoor plunge pool to prepare for a half marathon. Equinox also partnered with a local wine and food expert Aldo Fiordelli to create custom menus for the trip.

"The demand for fitness and high-performance living — both inside and outside our clubs — has never been greater," Howe told Business Insider.

The desire to achieve has become trendy in luxury active travel, Kathy Stewart, VP of Product for established luxury active travel company Butterfield & Robinson, recently told Business Insider, noting that younger generations prefer travel "with a goal."

Finding space in a booming, $639 billion industry

Equinox's core focus on improving members' health and wellness makes it a strong contender in both the hospitality and travel spaces, as travelers and hotel guests are increasingly seeking out these values.

"Wealthy travelers are ditching the beach parties and all-night clubbing and instead spending their money on wellness summits, spirituality retreats, and resorts that focus on self-care, which has turned "wellness tourism" into a $639 billion industry, according to the 2018 Global Wellness Tourism Economy study," Business Insider's Katie Warren reported in June.

Where Equinox has a leg up in entering the hospitality space is in its established member base. Harvey Spevak, executive chairman and managing partner for Equinox, told New York Times reporter Tariro Mzezewa in July that Equinox surveyed members in order to gauge interest in a brand hotel, and "an overwhelming 95 percent" responded that they would stay in one.

As a newcomer to the hotel scene, Equinox Hotels — which, along with SoulCycle, is part of the Stephen Ross-founded Related Companies portfolio — is distinguishing itself in the separation of fitness and regeneration.

"A lot of hotels are trying to go into wellness-fitness, but we're the only fitness company going into hotels at this scale," Christopher Norton, Chief Executive of Equinox Hotels, told Mzezewa. "They're putting treadmills in rooms, pull-up bars in bathrooms, but we believe that fitness happens in the club and the room is for regeneration."

Where Equinox Explore stands out, Howe says, is capitalizing on the brand's existing community of instructors and its deep knowledge base related to fitness, health, and relaxation.

"For 25-plus years, our members have counted on us to be the best part of their days, so they're already sweating with us, regenerating with us and fueling with us. Now, we're entering the active travel world guided by the notion that we are in the business of helping people maximize their potential," she said.

I went to the membership appreciation yesterday--catered by Davios Steakhouse....

I was talking to some guy and we were talking about the membership cost versus value. I pay $238/month (all access) and will see an increase on January or February. The guy that I was speaking with pays $260/month and expects an increase in March.

$2856 and $3120/year for a gym? SMH...

R298 you must be in NYC?

Since in Southern CA (at least West Hollywood), we had sandwiches by Fat Sal's, and two sides by lemonade...doesn't compare.

Could be Irvine or Newport Beach, CA

NYC, R299

The gym and steam room were hopping today. Everyone was getting in their Christmas Eve cruising before Santa comes.

MMPH... Interesting marketing campaign...

I'm 98% sure that this is the non-gender guy that's appearing on Project Runway

The guys in R303 look like father and son.

DROGA5: EQUINOX TURNS SELF-OBESSION INTO A VIRTUE

According to Equinox it IS all about you this year. New agency of record, Droga5, is taking the brand’s trademark weird – and provocative – advertising to a new level with a campaign that invites people to Make Yourself a Gift to the World.

The campaign leads with a 100-second film, directed by Floria Sigismondi, that retells the story of Narcissus with a twist, turning him into a hero because the sight of him gave pleasure to all. The film then asks if “self-obsession is not the most selfless gift of all?”

The campaign has an edge of humour underlined by its OTT style, but the intention is serious. “If you are your best self, whatever self that is, you’re going to be your best for the world,” stated Seth Solomons, chief marketing officer of Equinox. “Unfortunately, there is a whole lot of negative in certain places, but also this extreme optimism around making sure that you are your best self, and that comes out of what we do every day.”

“Year after year, we see the brand campaign as our opportunity to lead with a strong point of view and communicate a universal truth that is relevant to our community and reflects what’s happening in culture,” he added.

“Our message this year, delivered in a playful, tongue-in-cheek way, is a statement about the benefits of being your best self for the benefit of others, turning the idea of self- obsession on its head.”

It is also strangely compelling. Everyone wants to be admired. And it picks up on a common belief about gym devotees, turning a potential negative into a positive by infusing it with fun. Droga5 replaced Wieden + Kennedy as Equinox’s agency of record shortly after Solomons left Wunderman to become chief marketing officer of Equinox in May. The new campaign continues to use W+K’s tagline, It’s not fitness, it’s life and will run throughout 2020, albeit weighted heavily towards this January effort, which is running in Equinox clubs online, in print and OOH.

In the print and OOH component, divine characters are introduced as god-like gifts to the world, sharing their gift with the world to make it a better place:

Be the Power | Safer Planet – A person stands confidently carrying the weight of two people, demonstrating the power to assert oneself and take action.

Play Forever | More Love for All – A connection of love and admiration between two people implying the infinite drive and passion that comes with high-performance energy levels.

Experience Deeper | Touch More Lives – A person lies peacefully in an open coffin – not an image of sadness, but one of celebration. The trinkets and people gathered prove this life was beautiful and well-lived.

Eat Cleaner | All Things Grow – A person takes a powerful squat position in a meadow, reminding us of our connection to Mother Earth and the careful choices we must make about consumption to both fuel ourselves and minimize our impact on the planet.

Most definitely worth it. Some of my best and most memorable hookups have all originated out of that place. In addition to being really clean and well maintained, I find the locker rooms to be very ‘engaging’. And we all know how a good gay can’t turn down an offer to engage and participate.

One star for the women's bathroom maintenance staff.

I've been coming to this location, (Bryant Park) everyday for months since it is very close to my office. Everything was good and I've been enjoying it, till the day that I was confronted by one of the women locker room staffs saying I can only take one tampon each time while I took three on my way out. I was not trying to take advantage of the gym, but girls, we all had one of those days you forgot to bring what you need for your period. She talked to me in such an arrogant and rude way and made me look like I stole something from her! For three tampons for god sake.

I want to ask Equinox, if you want to charge for tampons, I'm happy to pay for it, but why don't you put them in a vending machine, or put up a sign saying "only one tampon allowed each time"? Or maybe make it a rule that you only allow one pump of shampoo each time? One piece of cotton ball each time? or maybe even just one drop of drinking water each time?

What a joke for the hefty price tag of that membership.

This place is the WORST. I want to cancel my membership because I change my job to New Jersey. After I request the cancellation, they asked me about my job offer, my new employer name, and location. I provided all of it per their request. However, they said, after the assessment, the relocation is within 25 miles from the Bryant Park location. This is NYC! 25 miles away means different boroughs or different states. People don't even date someone in different boroughs, but the gym policy states 25 miles means re-location. Even Wycoff NJ is 23 miles away from the Bryant Park location. I think Equinox just too afraid of losing people because of their bad service, so they force the 25 miles policy.

10/14/2019 updated - jumped in a 15 mins long call, and refuse to help from the management end. So far, this cancellation already cost me a couple of hours time, and I provided everything I can provide, but this place decided not the offer any support. In New York City, a very small group of people own a car, they still force the 25 miles policy. I asked them "do you ask me to take Path round-trip (~$5) every day for a workout?" and they said "YES" on the phone. Please do not sign up for Equinox unless you are ready to get upset frequently.

To the future potential customer, just a warning that Equinox value money WAY MORE than their customers. My case a simple ask, but I can feel that they decide not to be considerate to their client top-down from the management.

R309 I hate Equinox but that sounds like a bunch of Bullshit. Whoever wrote that says their job location changed but did their home address change? If not then...

^I see your point, R310. But, why enforce a gym membership contract when it's not working out well? I know... a contract is a contract... Oh, well...

Of course I could be wrong but I'm sensing that everything might not be coming up roses at EQUINOX. I have never been marketed to so heavily by the gym and I've been a member for nearly 10 years now. I've heard that the brand new all access price for a new member is now $260/month. That's A LOT of money to pay for a treadmill...

R311 so you're a traitor, huh? Couldn't give up that membership because you wanted steam room dick so badly, huh?

I kid.

However, my guess is that whoever posted that problem with the new job location fudged the details. Their job may have moved but they were still living in NY, so there's no reason for that person, in Equinox's eyes, that they can't use the gym. Sounds more like the person wanted out of their membership and was using the new work location as an out and it didn't work out. If the person was smarter, they would have found other ways to get out of their contract.

And from what I've heard, Equinox did take a hit in memberships from those brave enough to give up steam room sex. They've probably also lost a lot of money because of that hotel they dumped their resources in to. Are your locations cutting back on things like hair gel, deodorant, razors? Once that starts happening you know they're in trouble. Of course the first thing they'll do is increase your membership rate to make up the costs.

[quote] Are your locations cutting back on things like hair gel, deodorant, razors?

Not that I have noticed. I primarily use 2 locations; Grand Central and Park Avenue. So far, so good, at those two locations. But, I do think that you are right about them currently being beaten up by the costs of the.... EQUINOX HOTEL!

OOPS! I'm gathering that there are some unhappy workers given this recent review;

1/12/2020

2 stars might seem like a harsh number for a "luxury hotel". The hotel is too much but also not enough. The location of Hudson yards also isn't lovely. You are kind of by your self over there or at least to us where most of our favorite places are on the other side of the island.Me and my husband came and stayed for business 4 nights. The first day we were verbally attacked by an elevator attendant who eventually threw us off into a portion of the hotel that was not completed. The second night we were woken up by security beating on our door because some one at the reception desk put a wake up call on us. We had to bring our own luggage into the hotel .... also having to bring it down when we left..... because the staff is very slow. The room service food ... we will give it a 4/10 needs some work. The multiple elevators to get to your room is a little bit of an inconvenience. Owning a hotel of our own we expect so much more .... especially for the price.

More importantly R313, how's the sex at those locations?

[quote]And from what I've heard, Equinox did take a hit in memberships

Everyone must be getting hit;

[quote]One of the U.S.'s largest fitness chains is now trading at distressed levels following membership losses. Fitness chain 24 Hour Fitness Worldwide Inc.'s bonds plunged last week to distressed levels after the privately owned gym chain told investors its earnings declined in the third quarter. Nov 4, 2019

[quote]More importantly [R313], how's the sex at those locations?

As I've posted earlier, (either in this thread or the previous one of it), I don't do gym sex nor do I concern myself with it. I really haven't seen anything in all of my years with EQUINOX. Have I seen the furtive eyes of a few? Yep. But, that's about it.

BUT, huntys....

This morning I visited the EQUINOX in the Time Warner/Columbus Ave location. I had a morning meeting in that area and decided to just go there to shower before my meeting. WELL, honey... the gurlz were singing "I'm Coming Out" in their heads and greeting everyone with a "Good Morning," "Hello;" and "How are you!"

New meat is noticed as soon as it passes through the door into the men's locker room! Even the locker room attendants make note of it. There was a piece of trade (remember that it is located on the west side and in Hell's Kitchen) who was an attendant and you KNOW that part of his job was to help the male members "Come and shake body, baby. Do the conga!" The welcoming smile that I got this morning...

Anyway, I didn't see any sexual activity BUT there were definitely guys there (VERY CUTE) who were searching for those male members who don't start work until 10:00AM and therefore they could have that 9-10AM hour for intimate time when the locker room is much less crowded. OR, there were those who were taking/making lunch time appointments!

I shall return and visit again

Club management removed trash bins from the lobby (where the juice bar is, btw) for its regular visit by Corporate because "Corporate can't see trash bins." Meanwhile, members are walking through the club to the locker rooms with trash in their hands because there's nowhere to throw it. So now we have tiny, overflowing trash cubbies in the locker rooms and on the workout floor.

So members should throw all the trash in the lobby where the bins should be, R319.

Equinox best sex locations, California edition:

Most Consistent Hook Ups: I've found Beverly Hills to be the most consistent for j/o, oral and just overall post work out cumming. The gym isn't the best of the the gyms, but it was a converted bank and has a very linear lay out. The steam room is at the end of a long corridor of showers and then behind that is a little private lounge with a couch and a couple of cushioned chairs. There are lots of horny, closeted Persians there, which I'm in to. I was once taking a nap on the couch and woke up to this hung, Persian daddy (that's kind of a stretch but big dick) jerking off over my head.

Hottest Guys: West Hollywood/Sunset but the steam room is small and it's in the center between the lockers and the showers. I've found there to be a lot of looking/visual cruising but not a lot of action.

Most Brazen: Equinox Sports Club San Francisco has the most brazen guys who will sort of play with their dicks even in a crowed steam or sauna (Sports Clubs have both). This location is mid Market Street adj the Four Seasons. There is a lot of sexual activity but it is always off hours. If you go for a lunch or mid day work out, you most likely will always find oral or j/o. Same on the weekends, especially Sunday afternoons. The guys are hot, tons of tech bro straight eye candy who walk around naked during peak hours. There is a single shower next to a handicapped shower on the last row. This is where the brazenness really comes into play. I've fuck ed in the single shower stall a couple of times and if the curtain is closed in the handicapped, people are fucking in there. The staff at this location really don't give a fuck.

Such a detailed and thoughtful report, r321. Did you show it to your mother? She must be so proud.

The renovation of the Greenwich Ave NYC branch is the worst. The new tile floor always looks filthy. No more hair gel. Impossible to change if your locker isn’t near an aisle. The place always smells like shit - literally - because the toilet stalls open up to the lockers and sinks.

Whatever architect designed that space should never work again.

R322 - I was responding last night after a few drinks, just typing away it seems. I hope this piece of investigative journalism will help other members make the most of their membership. I think my mom would be mortified...if she were still around.

[quote]The renovation of the Greenwich Ave NYC branch is the worst.

11/15/2019

Renovations that are going on a year, continually changing and "upgrading" with very little benefit to members. Locker room renovation that lasted two months resulted in minimal changes or upgrades. Currently half the gym is sectioned off, already crowded gym now untenable. Trainers take up a ton of space on the floor, no room to actually work-out, limited classes outside of working hours, and they make you buy "all-club" .. For $270 a month, would expect A LOT more, manager is a jerk, employees are really nice.

7/11/2019Previous review

I give one star as I am one of the victims of their current renovations. Not only they closed the locker rooms and showers (for over two months), but they simultaneously increased my monthly fee to 293$ per month (with a semi closed gym for another 6 weeks). I get it that they want to be a money machine, but it's pretty despicable. The copy paste response below from the manager Greg was not helpful either as he just tried to explain, with arguments that do not make much sense, why I would be responsible to pay (even more than when they are actually fully open) for their renovations.

[quote]'I know the locker room closure isn't ideal, but the work is a full gut project to ultimately up-level your experience here at Greenwich Ave. The entire club needs an upgrade, and it's the main piece of feedback our members submit about their experience here at this location. We're investing close to $15M in the project to return this club to the crown jewel of the Village.

[quote]We chose to tackle both locker rooms in the Summer months because usage is lower, account suspensions are at their highest, and less is needed to bring with you to and from the club because of the warmer weather. Knowing this would impact members, we sent multiple communications leading up to the closure so members were able to pivot their routines accordingly. Many All Access members have been leveraging High Line, Flatiron, SoHo, and Bond, and our valued Destination members - like you - have been visiting Printing House more frequently.

[quote]If the Greenwich Ave locker room closure is something you're unable to work around, please let me know and I'm happy to freeze your membership through the duration of the work and waive the associated monthly freeze fees. That said, you then wouldn't have access to the other clubs in the city while your account is on freeze and I'd hate for you to put your entire fitness routine on pause.

[quote]In the end, the work is being done because members want an elevated experience, and we're delivering on that ask. We're sincerely asking for your understanding and partnership here during the closure. The finite inconvenience will be worth the wait.'

Comment from Equinox of Equinox Greenwich Avenue

Business Manager

7/11/2019Hi Paolo, we're sorry to hear about your experience. We're passing this along to the appropriate team to address this promptly.

What the Fitness Industry Can Learn from the Equinox, SoulCycle Political Controversy

Anthony Dominic - Content Producer | Nov 07, 2019

Yipee! I got my letter!!!!

Jan 23, 2020

Dear Dumb Ass,

We're so happy to have you as a part of our Equinox community. You're here to get results and we're here to support you on that journey.

We wouldn't be here without idiots err... members like you, and we work hard to provide you with the elevated experience you expect. We're always launching dynamic and innovative new classes-including Rounds, an interval class designed to test your speed, strength, and grit; Yin Yoga Meditation; Band Burn; and InnerHeat Yoga-with more to come soon. Headstrong meditations are available in your EquinoxApp, designed to make regeneration more accessible than ever. We're also reinvesting in equipment improvements and club enhancements to make your fitness an even more effective and seamless extension of your life.

Delivering this experience means rising costs across the business. To that end, we're writing to let you know that your membership fees will be $248 starting on Feb 23, 2020.

Since this date marks an Equinox anniversary for you, please check you App for annual member benefits, including your Equifit fitness assessment, complimentary Personal Training session, and additional Guest Passes. The Equifit fitness assessment is designed to help you check in with yourself, and Guest Passes are a great way to share your experience with friends and family.

Our mission is to help maximize the potential within our members' lives so they can enjoy the benefits of a high-performance lifestyle. We're incredibly proud to serve you and appreciate you trusting us with your fitness. Thank you for your continued loyalty.

In good health.

Scott Rosen & Judy Turchin

EQUINOX--IT'S NOT FITNESS. IT'S LIFE>

Congratufuckinlations!

Heads up - if you have NorCal or SoCal or regional memberships (not sure what east coast packages are), you will now be excluded from any of the new clubs that open up in your area - this is nation wide including just the run of the mill basic clubs. There is a small one that opened on Beale St in SF, but they are now excluding members with all access much to everyones surprise when we weren't allowed access. They are getting rid of regional. Now it's $305 for all access to all gyms including sports clubs/executive clubs (Century City/Printing House/Kensington), $265 from $250 (yearly increase) next month for what I have but can't go to any of the new locations that open even if they are more convenient, or $250 for 1 location. Everyone is so pissed off that you can upgrade without the additional $250 upgrade fee this month. Definitely check with membership if you hop locations or if one is opening closer to where you live. You could be in for a surprise.

Wow... I NEVER payed attention to this, but...

FREEZE POLICY

MEMBERSHIP FREEZE POLICY; Members may temporarily suspend their membership in accordance with the following terms:

A) You may freeze your membership once per contractual year for a minimum of one (1) month and a maximum of three (3) consecutive months in one-month increments. You will be charged Equinox’s then current monthly freeze fee. If you freeze your membership during the first twelve (12) months of your membership, you will be charged regular monthly dues until you meet the one year obligation, after which you will be charged Equinox’s then current monthly freeze fee for the period of the freeze. If you have been a member for twelve (12) months or longer on the day the freeze is effective, you will be charged the then current freeze fee A) on the billing cycle preceding the freeze start date and pro-rated for the time you are using the club OR B) up front and billing will be held for the approved duration of your freeze, depending on the home club of your membership. To learn which fee schedule (A or B) applies to you, please contact Membership Administration at memadmin@equinox(dot)com. Fees for the period of the freeze you elect are non-refundable, even if you later reduce the number of months of suspension of your membership.

B) Your freeze request must be done in person at the Club, online at www(dot)equinox(dot)com or by certified mail to Equinox - Membership Administration, One Park Avenue, Mezz Floor, New York, NY 10016 at least five (5) days before the intended freeze start date.

C) If you are medically unable to use the Club, you can request a medical freeze for up to six (6) months (nine (9) months for pregnancy freeze). You must provide a doctor’s letter at the time you request a medical freeze.

D) You may not freeze your membership for any reason unless your account is in good standing. Members joining as part of a payroll deducted or subsidized corporate program shall not be permitted to freeze their memberships.

All freeze requests must be made in advance. No retroactive freezes are permitted.

Freeze fee? You feel trapped.

These policies portend the beginning of the end You can’t treat “members” with such disdain and expect them not to turn at some point.

The beginning of the end happened when those who were courageous enough to give up their memberships, sacrificing the hot steam room sex, in protest of the asshole owner's support of the orange anus. They're image is hurting, memberships are down and they're passing the costs down to those who they know will never stop paying their fees for after workout handies.

^I think you're right, R332. EQUINOX was definitely hurt by that boycott. I don't think that it is necessarily because of the cause but I think it woke a lot of people up and made people reflect about why they were paying so much for a gym. Also, that new hotel is putting a strain on the business. It's not performing well. Yep, it's still early but EQUINOX did not need this stress on top of everything else.

Once people left Equinox they realized they could pay 75% less for a membership elsewhere, get the same workout in and still get hot sex in the steam rooms. Bonus: the less expensive local gyms are full of downlow, married, blue collared dudes looking to fuck!

I haven’t seen a difference in the number of people at Equinox since the “boycott” happened. I’ve been going here for about three years because I got tired of dealing with the bad smells, cheap towels and dirty locker rooms at the less expensive gyms. R334 is correct though. I saw more steam room action at the cheaper gyms. I think it’s because at those gyms, the straight guys go to work our and never use the steam room. The straight guys at Equinox go to the steam room after their workouts, making action much less common. I’m not one for steam room sex anyway, so it’s just as well for me. It’s hotter to go home with someone than sneak a wank in the public setting.

The market is desperate for an alternate luxury gym. Something similar to Sports Club/LA that Equinox bought out. The gym felt more exclusive, the staff was much better and it had a luxury vibe. At SCLA on Sepulveda, they used to walk around with trays of iced water in a cup w/lid and straw. When I was visiting London, there was this gorgeous gym called KX that would do so well in Beverly Hills or Upper East Side. I think people would drop Equinox in a second for something that is luxury, boutique and has some soul.

KX Gym

Okay.... Nice locker room....

R337, I had massage there and the gym/facilities are true luxury (which is very overused) and boutique. It's Equinox meets SoHo House with a really nice restaurant that non-members/spa users (like myself) could not use. It's exclusive, but not exclusionary if you have the money and without the desperate SoHo House milf hooker vibe. SF has The Battery which is a social club that has a small gym, but the gym sucks. The club is the main attraction. I'd like something down the middle. I hear Goop is involved with The Artist Club (or something like that) which is proposed to be where the old Hustler Club is, but I think you have to be industry. What I'd like is an urban country club type vibe. I'd pay $2500/year + $250/month for that feel.

R338 Yup, you're right, it's The Arts Club based out of London (another private Brit club) that Gwyneth plans on opening at that old Hustler spot.

Since it sounds as though you're in LA, the new Soho Warehouse in DTLA has its own gym, but I don't think it offers enough to part people from their high EQX gym membership. Unsure if this gym with a sauna and steam room is more of an afterthought for them, or if Soho House really made an effort to make this facility worthy.

Have you (or anyone else) been?

FYI;

The Arts Club is a London private members club founded in 1863 by, amongst others, Charles Dickens, Anthony Trollope, and Lord Leighton in Dover Street, Mayfair, London, England. Today it is a meeting place for men and women involved in the creative arts either professionally or as patrons.

History

The Arts Club was a hub of the arts during the 19th-century and, although a social venue, it was known to be a place where influence could be exerted and careers developed. It was seen as the powerhouse behind the dealings of the Royal Academy.[citation needed] Its members and guests included Dickens, Millais, Whistler, Kipling, Monet, Rodin, Degas and Turgenev. As early as 1891, James Whistler, one of the Arts Club's leading members, broke away to found the rival Chelsea Arts Club.

The Arts Club has continued to provide a forum and meeting place for those involved in all the arts. The visual arts predominate the professional artists amongst today's membership; the vast majority of Royal Academicians still present amongst the members. Members not professionally active as artists include art dealers, gallery owners, artists' agents, as well as those who simply have an amateur or recreational interest in the arts.

Various scandals undermined the club during the last century, including the disappearance of the club's extensive collection of first-edition books and silver during refurbishments (the crates when opened were full of bricks) as well as fifty artworks from its collection.

The Club was completely refurbished in 2011/12.

Thanks for the insight R339 and R339. I've read somewhere that EQUINOX does not consider itself a gym but a club. I don't know about that but maybe it's me and not using the "club" to its fullest? But, I have never ever gotten a "club" feel from the gym's environment. Anyway, this model seems to be working for them and others are looking to copy it.

Speaking only about NYC, NYSC is in the process of refurbishing locations and then making some locations luxury (higher price point fee) and then the rest will be the standard fare. Well... I was a member of NYSC before I became a member of EQUINOX and one of these new luxury designated NYSC spots I'm quite familiar with. The location has just completed a renovation and so I thought I would check it out since it was close by. There was nothing different. It was just a lot of laminated/faux product used throughout (materials that photograph as expensive but in reality look cheap--the same as EQUINOX and no where near R337), and the same services and equipment. What's the luxury?

CRUNCH, seems to have fallen off the map. Something is going on with them. I haven't seen advertising from them for quite some time now. And, as noted in R317, 24HourFitness is in trouble. So, as far as the chain gyms in NYC, EQUINOX owns the market.

One would think that this would be an opportunity for new and small, independent, gyms to open. These would be gyms that could offer TRUE luxury and personalized service. But, the outrageous rents here prohibits that.

And, speaking of NYSC (and other)

Gym Chains Wrestle With Debt Even as Fitness Industry Is Growing

Katherine Doherty,Bloomberg•January 27, 2020

(Bloomberg) -- It’s midday, mid-January at a New York Sports Club in Manhattan. Weights are clanking. Classic rock is pumping. Sweat is sprouting. A steady stream of customers files in and out.

Despite the buzz of the busiest time of year, debt problems are bedeviling the fitness business, especially middle-market gym chains such as parent company Town Sports International Holdings Inc. and its peer, 24 Hour Fitness Worldwide Inc.

Gyms have benefited from economic expansion. More Americans than ever have memberships. But popularity aside, middle-tier operators “don’t have the same price advantage of a low-cost gym or the competitive advantage of a boutique fitness option,” said Emile Courtney of S&P Global Ratings.

They’re up against luxury operators like Equinox Holdings Inc., with its eucalyptus-scented towels and debt that trades at 100 cents on the dollar. By contrast, Town Sports and 24 Hour struggle with customer turnover and their loans are sold at discounts of more than 20%.

“Personalization and tribalism are fueling the boutique demand, especially among millennials,” said Meredith Poppler of the trade group International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association. “Most people want to be with ‘their people,’ the people like them who have the same passions. Boutiques deliver on that.”

Town Sports, with 600,000 members, has a $194 million loan due in November. Before its proposal earlier this month to buy Flywheel Sports Inc., an indoor cycling club with 300,000 members, Town Sports hadn’t outlined a plan to repay it, according to Margaret Taylor of Moody’s Investors Service.

Delay Maturity

But the company can delay the loan’s maturity four years if it completes the acquisition. Kennedy Lewis Investment Management, the current Flywheel owner, would also bring $50 million to the transaction.

The plan, however, is conditioned on the support of existing debt holders. Without their consent, the deal could fall apart and the company would be left with the loan’s November maturity.

Ideally, adding Flywheel would give Town Sports the chance to boost revenue by selling members more expensive packages, according to S&P. Even so, the debt taken on to buy Flywheel would probably mean more financial strain on Town Sports, S&P said.

Sweeten Appeal

The Town Sports loan coming due this year is trading at about 76.5 cents on the dollar, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Shares of the company, which hit $14.75 in July 2018, now go for less than $3.

Town Sports didn’t respond to requests for comment.

The Flywheel acquisition is also an effort to sweeten Town Sports’s appeal to boutique customers like 29-year-old Alexandra Antonacci-Bolanos. The medical-device executive from West Islip, New York, said she doesn’t mind paying more for fitness because it lifts her spirits. On top of $70 a month for a gym membership, she said she spends about $36 a class for SoulCycle -- a company under the same corporate umbrella as Equinox -- which is often described as a cardio dance party.

“It’s my therapy,” she said.

Rocky Debut

Closely held 24 Hour Fitness, with more than 440 clubs, carries too much debt for what it earns, according to Taylor of Moody’s. The company reported a slide in earnings last year partly due to the rocky debut of an automated system for checking in and signing up customers. Its membership declined to 3.4 million at the end of the third quarter from 3.5 million in the previous quarter, according to Moody’s. Its average monthly attrition rate rose to 4.1% compared with 3.9% in the third quarter of last year.

Cancellations are killers for gyms. It costs twice as much to recruit a new member as it does to retain an existing one. Roughly 28 of 100 U.S. gym members are expected to bail this year, according to the trade group.

24 Hour Fitness’s more than $800 million term loan is trading at around 78 cents on the dollar, according to Bloomberg pricing data.

“We see a tremendous opportunity in the mid-tier that hasn’t yet been realized,” Tony Ueber, 24 Hour Fitness’s chief executive officer, said in a statement to Bloomberg. “As a result, we are in the process of transforming our business model and making the necessary investments to firmly establish a leadership position in the industry.”

Monthly Fees

Meanwhile, shares of Planet Fitness Inc., with its $10 monthly fees and promise of “judgment-free zones,” have gained about 36% in the past year.

Though S&P said last week it downgraded Equinox to B-, non-investment-grade territory, because its increased expenses make the company more vulnerable to an economic downturn or “an inadvertent operating misstep,” the credit-rating company also lauded Equinox’s “strong brand awareness among consumers” and customer loyalty that set it apart from competitors.

Closely held Equinox said it planned to open 10 new clubs this year. It declined to comment on its financial position.

Jonathan Germer, a 29-year-old teacher from Sayville, New York, said he’s involved in different approaches to fitness, including Crossfit Inc. He said he likes the sense of community of Peloton Interactive Inc., even though he shares no physical space with others.

Germer said he spent just under $2,000 for a Peloton stationary bike and pays $40 a month for a digital membership that allows him to join streaming classes at home.

“To be able to feel like you’re a part of something that feels bigger than small-time America is great for so many people,” Germer said. “It feels bigger than a little fitness world.”

Has anyone ever been to an Under Armour gym? I think there are only two or three. I spent a month in a city with one of them and was really impressed and remember thinking that if they had more of them I'd easily switch over in lieu of Equinox. The facilities were really nice and comparable to Equinox and at a much better rate: $60/month and that was the higher, non-membership rate. I think if you had annual rate it worked out to $45/month.

Under Armour's CEO is as a cozy with Trump as Equinox's.

And, R345?

LA Fitness does the faux luxury route w/ LA Fitness Signature in BH. I tried this right before I was doing some traveling and it sucked. To be fair, it was clean, close by, and had fairly easy parking. It just didn't work for me. You get 2 paper thin towels which are retrieved at the front desk on check in, the showers have LA Fitness products (shampoo & body wash), curtains vs. glass doors, sauna, and you have to bring your own locks. I think it was around 60-70/month. I imagine the regular LA Fitness/24 Hour must be pretty bare bones if towels are a luxury. I won't skimp again. I'm single, I don't really party, and I like to work out/chill afterwards. It wasn't worth saving the money b/c I dreaded working out. I also like classes. I will say the David Barton gyms in LA (the one in CC closed down a few years ago) aren't too bad if you want a happy medium. I don't know the NYC scene. Is Reebok part of Equinox now? It's been a while. I've been there once and it had a very cool yoga studio that overlooks the city and best cruising locker room. Everything is in the basement and have had the best fooling around at that location.

What is Lifetime Fitness like?

The NYHRC near me is converting. Is it worth a look?

[quote]Is Reebok part of Equinox now?

Yes, it is. It's a "destination" location.

[quote] What is Lifetime Fitness like?

R348, Lifetime is decent, at least the 2 in Michigan that I've been in are. It's an Equinox wannabe. A good selection of equipment, plenty of amenities, massage therapy and personal training, and sizable and clean locker rooms. My "home" club had 3 pools, an indoor basketball court, and steam room. Towels were provided. What I didn't like is that my club had a huge children's summer camp program, so every day the pools and even the locker rooms were swarming with small kids (they weren't allowed in the workout areas, but parades of them would be walked through the gym to get to various parts of the building such as conference rooms for birthday parties). I suppose that if you work out in the evenings and on the weekends then this wouldn't be an issue, and - to be fair - I doubt every Lifetime has such a robust summer camp program.

I did not see any cruising or flirting at all, but I attribute this to having been in a conservative city and state. If you're in NY or NYC, then I'd imagine this might happen more there.

To answer your question directly, I do think it's worth checking out. It's most definitely far above Planet Fitness and 24 Hour Fitness. In fact, I believe Lifetime Fitness and Equinox are owned by the same private equity company.

I spent one summer working out where the only option was a $10/month Planet Fitness. I was perfectly happy.

I came back to NYC and pay $235/month for Equinox which is the same amount I would have paid for a year. There’s even a Planet Fitness even 3 blocks away from where I live in the city.

I don’t even like Equinox, I complain about the gym all the time but I haven’t quit. It makes no sense even to me.

There's a lot of competition for customers. people doing crossfit, yoga, spinning etc at specialized studios and ditching gyms.

[quote] NYHRC

I give props to this gym. It lasted a LONG time given the cut throat environment of the gym sector in NYC.

[quote]Lifetime

It's my understanding that it's more family oriented. It's the modern day YMCA/YWCA

Yeah they definitely must be hurting. I got a call from one of the Managers at a location I used to go to. I mentioned it before, I think, but they once gave me a free membership to just show up and work out. I used it for awhile and then stopped going there.

Anyway, the Manager said he was calling because I was on a list of inactive members and they wanted to know why and what they could do to bring me back. It wasn't clear if the Manager realized I was on one of their free memberships. I mentioned it and he said he was aware, that they were checking profiles of those particular members and reviewing their activity.

Long story short (too late, sorry), but he basically wanted me to know that they would keep my membership active if I wanted to start using the facilities again.

Uh.... Ahem....

Aw.... They care....

Hi,

Can you believe it’s been 8 years already? Seems like only yesterday we were just getting to know each other. Time flies when you're crushing goals—thanks for crushing them with us.

Keep it up, we can't wait to see how far you’ll go.

Team Equinox

I've learned that EQUINOX is QUITE aware of this thread and other similar threads that course through the internet. I'm also told that for new members to join the gym the all access pass is..... $265/month!

Aw... They care...

Dear We Can't Afford To Lose Your Money,

At Equinox, the health and safety of our employees and members is our top priority. With that in mind, we are taking additional steps to be extra vigilant amid peak flu season and growing concerns around coronavirus.

Currently, Equinox disinfects all club areas with a hospital-grade solution at the end of every day. We are also introducing additional mid-morning and mid-afternoon disinfects as an extra precaution.

We encourage all members to follow these best practices to help keep yourself and others healthy: Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Stay home when you are sick.

Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

Utilize the disinfectant wipes available on the club floor to wipe down machines and equipment after use. As the situation is evolving, please refer to the following resources for the latest updates:

- US: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

- UK: Department of Health and Social Care

- Canada: Public Health Agency of Canada

Thank you for your assistance in adhering to these important guidelines.

Scott Rosen President

[quote]Utilize the disinfectant wipes available on the club floor to wipe down machines

Which they will now increase your monthly rate $10 in order to provide for you! They care!

How is Equinox handling the Coronavirus?

Those of you with memberships, have any of you tried to get them to freeze your membership for free because of the pandemic? Just curious what gyms are doing about it.

I was reading the community page on the app and a lot of people want to freeze their memberships. Even with the "3 x a day hospital cleanings" I'm nervous. I think I am going to freeze for a month or two and see. Things seem serious and the gym doesn't seem to be a good idea. I think we are wondering if they will just shut it down and freeze everything for a few weeks.

R361 did you call and ask them if theyd let you freeze for free? What state are you in?

[quote]I think we are wondering if they will just shut it down and freeze everything for a few weeks.

That's what I'm waiting for. I mean... if NYC can shut Broadway down for month then I don't see why not a gym chain.

R363 because as Equinox has shown over and over... they don't care about anything but your $$$. They're not about to lose that.

They're not about to give you anything if you don't ask.

If anyone is interested in freezing, I heard from one of the trainers there that they're offering members to freeze for 1 month for free if you request it as being because of Corona. He said they're getting a ton of requests for it.

Update March 15, 2020: Since this article was published, the coronavirus outbreak has escalated in the US and New York City in particular.

Though Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo haven’t ordered gyms to close, both Barry’s and Peloton have closed their studios. And in an email to some of its Flatiron members, fitness center Equinox said one of its patrons had tested positive for Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

A Personal Trainer friend of mine said the following in NYC have been closed;

"They closed Crunch, World Boxing Gym and Urban Souls."

Governor Cuomo just announced that all gyms in CT; NY; NJ will close at 8PM tonight.

Eqx in Los Angeles have shut down and they've put all members on afreeze.

He must be pissed!

Dear XXXX,

As we continue to navigate these challenging times, our community is at the heart of who we are and this guiding principle makes difficult choices easier for us to make. I want to personally provide you with an update on the actions we are taking to serve the best interests of our team and members given the current climate with COVID-19.

We have been closely tracking every new development related to COVID-19 and have been following the guidance of the government authorities. Many of our members have been asking us to stay open as an outlet to manage stress and anxiety in these trying times, however, in accordance with the government mandate and with our community in mind, we will temporarily close our New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut locations effective 8PM on Monday, March 16th until further notice. Your membership will be put on freeze at no cost until we reopen and credit will remain on members’ accounts for any cancelled services including Personal Training, Pilates and Spa.

We appreciate our exceptional teams for their dedication in maintaining a safe club environment over the last few weeks and remain committed to their well-being throughout these unique circumstances.

We will continue to monitor the situation and follow the recommendations of government authorities with the hope of reopening as soon as possible. In the meantime, we will stay connected with our Equinox family outside the four walls of our clubs by providing updates and relevant content for the duration of closure. As always, our Furthermore editors will continue to gather expert points of view on how to maintain strong immunity and manage stress. Here’s a link so you can hear directly from these thought leaders.

The COVID-19 health crisis is presenting challenges that are unprecedented in our lifetime. Thank you for being a valued member. Be safe, remain healthy and we look forward to welcoming you back into our clubs as quickly and safely as possible.

With gratitude,

Harvey Spevak Executive Chairman and Managing Partner Equinox Group

Some are not handling this well...

Virtual training? These trainers must be hurting....

Hello XXXX,

I Hope this email finds you well, your family and your loved ones are safe and healthy.

The past few weeks have been full of uncertainty as we, as a nation and world community deal with the COVID-19 crisis.

With this in mind, Mike, the personal training manager, passed along your contact information, for an opportunity to work with you through the Equinox virtual training platform. This will help you maintain a healthy lifestyle and reach your health and fitness goals, whilst the Equinox locations remain closed.

A little about me: I am a Tier 3 trainer ranked top 5% in the company when I was working at the E43rd st location. I am confident you will enjoy working with me, as I will help you through effective coaching and programming.

XXXX, I am always here for my clients and members, and virtual training enables me to serve you beyond the four walls of our clubs, to help you stay physically and mentally healthy in this stay at home environment.

Going forward, once Equinox does reopen, this new digital platform will also help keep us connected and committed to reaching your goals, even when there is business travel, vacations, or holidays.

Please share with me two specific times that work for your first virtual training session (for example, Monday 7am or Wednesday 6pm) The first session will be complimentary.

How does this sound to you XXXX?

I have attached my bio board, and look forward to hearing from you real soon.

Thank you

"Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it" Plato

Craziness... They're DETERMINED to open up these gyms.

Trump Calls For Reopening America’s Gyms Day After Call With SoulCycle’s Owner--Stephen Ross, the founder and chairman of the Related Companies, is part of the president’s economic revitalization team. He also threw Trump a massive fundraiser.

[quote]The White House declined to comment on whether ideas presented by Ross informed its phase one guidelines. In an emailed statement, a Related spokesperson told The Daily Beast, “Stephen Ross never discussed gyms, exercise clubs or anything like that with the President and this story is factually incorrect garbage.” “Equinox is an independent company, with multiple investors and Related doesn’t make strategic or operational decisions for them," the spokesperson added.

President Donald Trump unveiled a proposal this week to reopen America’s gyms in spite of the coronavirus outbreak after a phone call that included the head of the company that owns luxury fitness brands Equinox and SoulCycle, who also happens to be a high-profile Trump supporter.

In a memo issued on Thursday titled “Guidelines for Opening Up America Again,” the White House included gyms among the businesses that would reopen to the general public during “phase one” of its plan to jump-start the American economy, which has cratered amid nationwide stay-at-home orders and business closures.

Though the document said gyms could open “if they adhere to strict physical distancing and sanitation protocols,” their inclusion nevertheless struck public health experts as bizarre.

“Gyms are like a petri dish,” said Laurence Gostin, the director of the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University. “People are close to one another, they’re sweating, they’re coughing and sneezing, they’re touching multiple surfaces, they’re sharing equipment, they’re indoors. Literally all of the heightened risk factors for COVID transmission are all entwined together in a gym.”

The White House’s guidance included mitigation measures that would ostensibly minimize the risk of transmission at gyms that opt to reopen, including “strict physical distancing and sanitation protocols.” But Gostin said he’s not convinced that the risks of transmission could be sufficiently minimized.

“It’s very hard to socially distance. Machines are right next to each other. It’s also very hard to disinfect. You’d have to do it continuously, not just every hour,” he said. “There was certainly no attempt to put in any scientific evidence as to why they’re safe or how they could possibly be made safe.”

The decision on gyms came a day after Trump’s phone call with 16 business leaders including Bahram Akradi, chief executive of health club chain Life Time, and Stephen Ross, the founder and chairman of the Related Companies. That firm’s broad portfolio includes a vast swath of commercial and residential real estate properties, as well as Equinox Holdings, which owns its own eponymous chain of luxury gyms as well as fitness brands SoulCycle, Blink Fitness, and Pure Yoga.

Those businesses, like the larger fitness industry, have been hit particularly hard by the coronavirus. SoulCycle has slashed payroll and furloughed employees. Equinox and Blink have both frozen membership charges.

Arkadi has donated to prominent Republicans in the past, though not to Trump. He warned in an appearance on Laura Ingraham’s primetime Fox News show late last month that he might be forced to lay off up to 90 percent of his employees unless American businesses began to reopen.

The White House readout of Wednesday’s phone call said industry representatives—which included Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Brian Moynihan of Bank of America, Jimmy John Liautaud, the eponymous owner of the Jimmy John’s restaurant chain, and Phil Ruffin of Treasure Island Hotels—“shared ideas for ways their industries can safely return.”

The White House declined to comment on whether ideas presented by Ross informed its phase one guidelines. In an emailed statement, a Related spokesperson told The Daily Beast, “Stephen Ross never discussed gyms, exercise clubs or anything like that with the President and this story is factually incorrect garbage.”

“Equinox is an independent company, with multiple investors and Related doesn’t make strategic or operational decisions for them," the spokesperson added.

Ross was one of more than 200 people named to the White House’s economic recovery task forces this week, which will advise the Trump administration on policies to reverse the economic damage done by the coronavirus. He was one of 27 high-dollar donors to pro-Trump groups who made the list. Since the 2016 presidential campaign, he’s donated about $300,000 to the Republican National Committee.

Ross also hosted a fundraiser for Trump’s reelection campaign last year at his home in the Hamptons. The move drew criticism from Trump critics and calls to boycott his fitness businesses, which are among the nation’s largest by revenue. That fundraiser, combined with one other, helped the president and affiliated campaign groups raise $12 million.

As Ross endured criticism for hosting the event, Trump rushed to his defense.

“He’s a great friend of mine; he’s a very successful guy. We were competitors but friends in real estate in New York in the old days,” he told reporters. “He’s probably more inclined to be a liberal if you want to know the truth, but he likes me, he respects me.”

Trump’s Plan Calls For Gyms To Reopen, But How Safe Is It To Go To One?

SHANNON CARLIN

LAST UPDATED APRIL 19, 2020, 12:15 PM

President Donald Trump called for the reopening of America’s gyms after unveiling the federal government’s three-phase plan to reopen the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic — and after a phone call with the owners of some major fitness companies, including SoulCycle.

On Thursday, Trump announced the guidelines for Phase One, which looked to reopen restaurants, movie theaters, places of worship, and large sporting venues, as well as gyms, “if they adhere to strict physical distancing and sanitation protocol,” according to a White House memo titled “Guidelines for Opening Up America Again.”

Trump called for the reopening of gyms after a call with SoulCycle’s owner, Stephen Ross, and others on the president’s economic revitalization task force that includes Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Jimmy John Liautaud of the Jimmy John’s restaurant chain, and Bahram Akradi, chief executive of health club chain Life Time, according to The Daily Beast. Critics believe that call influenced his decision to include gyms in the first wave of businesses targeted to reopen. In an email statement to The Daily Beast, a Related spokesperson wrote, “Stephen Ross never discussed gyms, exercise clubs or anything like that with the President and this story is factually incorrect garbage.”

(MORE)

[quote]“Equinox is an independent company, with multiple investors and Related doesn’t make strategic or operational decisions for them," the spokesperson added.

That was their excuse for the fundraiser as well.

This is going to get ugly

Related’s Stephen Ross, Trump Crony, Has a Giant Coronavirus Hypocrisy Problem Even as Related’s Equinox is not paying its rent, Related is dunning its own tenants, Ross is sitting on a giant new Saudi investment—and Trump continues to make decisions that benefit the developer.

BY WILLIAM D. COHAN APRIL 20, 2020

On April 6, Jeff Blau, the CEO of Related Companies, the behemoth real estate developer, appeared on CNBC’s Squawk Box with Andrew Ross Sorkin to discuss the challenges Related’s retail tenants had in early April making their rent payments because of the coronavirus lockdowns.

Related, one of Manhattan’s largest real estate developers, once described as “the Harvard of real estate,” owns the swanky new $25 billion Hudson Yards development on Manhattan’s West Side and the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle. Related is also one of the largest owners of affordable housing in the United States. In sum, according to Blau, Related controls a real estate portfolio worth just shy of $100 billion.

Stephen Ross, a longtime friend of Donald Trump’s, with an estimated net worth approaching $10 billion, according to Forbes, is the founder of Related. Ross, a tax attorney who was fired from his job at Bear Stearns in 1970, also owns 95% of the Miami Dolphins football team, controls a $5 billion investment fund, and is the largest donor—more than $350 million—to his alma mater, the University of Michigan, where the business school bears his name. The Financial Times reported in 2017 that Ross owns “more than half” of Related.

In his appearance on CNBC, Blau told Sorkin that 88% of Related residential tenants had paid their April rent, that 95% of its commercial tenants had paid the April rent, but that only 26% of Related’s retail tenants had paid the April rent. He then went off on a bit of a rant about how it was not okay for tenants not to pay rent or to write “blanket letters” to landlords, such as Related, about why they would not be paying their rent because of the coronavirus lockdowns. He said he would not accept excuses about not paying rent from tenants who were well capitalized. He then talked about how Adidas, the big athleticwear company, had suffered “public shaming” in Germany after it wrote some landlords initially that it would not pay its rent because of forced store closing, due to the spreading virus. “It’s a whole ecosystem,” Blau said. “The people that can pay need to pay. Landlords need to help out those that can’t, and then the banks need to help out those landlords that are hurt by people that couldn’t pay the rent.”

Ah, the hypocrisy. Soon after Blau’s CNBC appearance, the Financial Times, among others, reported that Equinox, the high-end health club with more 300 locations globally, would not be paying April rent. Equinox is—wait for it—owned by Related Companies, which it bought for around $500 million in 2005 and then, years later, sold minority stakes to outside investors. Equinox has a new, luxury hotel at Hudson Yards—the first of several hotels planned for Houston, Los Angeles, and Chicago in the coming years—and a swishy health club there. Equinox also owns SoulCycle, Blink Fitness (a health club designed for the non-triathlete crowd), Pure Yoga, and Precision Run, an interactive exercise experience. Not only would Equinox not be paying its rent, it also wrote letters to vendors according to Fortune, on March 18, telling them it would not be making “invoice payments until further notice.”

But there’s even more hypocrisy. In the first week of February—at virtually the top of the market—Ross, Blau, and Related Companies closed on a major capital investment into the Related Companies from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. The Saudis $320 billion Public Investment Fund, known as PIF, is chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, another Trump confidant and the man many believe is responsible for the shameless 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Related is a private company and PIF is a private investment fund; neither is obligated to comment publicly on the investment—which has not previously been reported; Blau did not mention it during his CNBC appearance—and neither organization would comment to me on the record. A spokesman for the Related Companies declined to comment on the PIF investment and Kevin Foster, PIF’s New York–based head of communications, did not respond to a request for comment about the investment in Related.

But people familiar with the investment confirmed to me that it was in the form of convertible debt, convertible into 15% of the equity of Related and that it will be used for “general corporate purposes.” I could not learn how much the Saudis invested in Related in exchange for its 15% stake in the company, or at what the value the Saudis agreed to place on Related when it made the investment. But it’s likely that the PIF invested hundreds of millions of dollars into Related given that the deal closed at the top of the market and that Related itself is likely worth tens of billions of dollars, based on Ross’s net worth and his majority stake in the company. PIF has been on a tear in recent weeks, making investments in a variety of companies that seem to be in distressed straits, due to the coronavirus. PIF has recently agreed to invest in Carnival Cruise, and a bunch of oil companies including Royal Dutch Shell, Total, Repsol, Equinor, and Eni. According to the Financial Times, it also recently agreed to buy Newcastle United F.C., the British soccer team, for around $375 million.

Ross has known Trump for more than 40 years. He ran into serious flak last summer when he hosted a multimillion-dollar fundraiser for Trump in the Hamptons, charging as much as $250,000 a pop to have a picture taken with Trump and to participate in a conversation with him. Many Equinox and SoulCycle members publicly complained about Ross’s Trump fundraiser and threatened to cancel their memberships. As I reported last August, many on Wall Street concluded that Ross’s real motivation for holding the fundraiser was to insure the controversial EB-5 visa program, which allows rich foreigners to get a permanent visa in exchange for making an investment of at least $500,000 in an American business, got extended rather than expire at it was supposed to do at the end of September 2019. Ross succeeded in his mission; Trump signed a law extending the program for a year, until September 2020. Ross’s Related Companies is one of the bigger users of the EB-5 program to raise cheap equity.

And Ross got more public flak when it was revealed, by the Daily Beast, that after Ross participated in a conference call Trump had with business executives, Trump decided to include gyms on the list of businesses that can open first during “phase one” of Trump’s controversial efforts to re-open the economy. In Trump’s memo, “Guidelines for Opening Up America Again,” the president wrote that as long as gyms “adhere to strict physical distancing and sanitation protocols,” they could reopen. The Daily Beast quoted an incredulous Laurence Gostin, the director of the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University, “Gyms are like a petri dish. People are close to one another, they’re sweating, they’re coughing and sneezing, they’re touching multiple surfaces, they’re sharing equipment, they’re indoors. Literally all of the heightened risk factors for COVID transmission are all entwined together in a gym.”

News that Trump seemed to be favoring his friend Ross, and his struggling health club empire, is no surprise of course, given Trump’s eagerness to reward his rich friends. But it still lit up the Twitterverse. Tweeted Frank Rich, the New York magazine writer and Hollywood showrunner, about Ross, “This Trump crony also owns @_HudsonYardsNYC. How long till we learn he got a bailout?” Probably not for awhile Frank, given the major cash infusion that Ross just got from the Saudis.

CORONAVIRUS NEW YORK

Coronavirus: Equinox unveils reopening plan, including weekly visit limits and increased cleaning

Monday, May 11, 2020 12:59PM

NEW YORK (WABC) -- Equinox has unveiled its reopening plan, which comes with ramped up cleaning and sanitation, health checks, limited club capacity, PPE, contactless features, and changes in etiquette.

Club officials said they had established a task force including medical and infectious disease experts to develop the reopening strategy.

It includes deep cleaning and disinfecting three times per day and once overnight, and designated areas will be sectioned of to facilitate the cleaning with adjusted club hours.

Members will be asked to book a visit using the Equinox app and will be limited to three 90-minute appointments in a seven-day period, with further visits available on a standby basis subject to club capacity.

Personal training, Pilates and group fitness sessions will be automatically booked for club members who are enrolled. There will also be 30 minutes between group fitness classes for disinfecting the studio and all equipment.

Lockers will be cleaned after each use, and members will be asked to use hand sanitizer when entering the club and frequently throughout their visit.

Member will be asked to wipe down equipment before and after use, and also disinfect phones and personal devices under touchless UV-C sanitizers. They will also be required to wear face masks at all times in the club, except while exercising, and will be provided with a plastic bag to store their mask while working out.

It is recommended but not required that members wear gloves.

Employees and members will also be required to submit to temperature checks before entering, complete a mandatory health declaration to confirm they are not experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have come in contact with someone experiencing symptoms, and alert their club's general manager if they test positive within 14 days of their last club visit.

Showers, steam rooms, saunas, spa facilities, pools, Kids Club, coat check, basketball courts and team sport areas will remain closed during the initial reopening.

Separately, Crunch Signature CEO Keith Worts says he hopes his gyms will be able to open by June 1 or June 15 but that it may stretch until July. He said some of his locations are already open in Georgia, but locations in the New York area could be weeks away from doing the same.

Crunch is placing signage in their clubs encouraging people to wipe down machines, and some equipment will be off limits to encourage social distancing.

Over the weekend, Soul Cycle told members that showers and locker rooms will be closed for the foreseeable future.

So again, is anyone questioning the rates?

If they're going to limit you to going 3 x a week, they should slash your fees by 60%.

I talked to Equinox today, R380. They said they are adjusting how they will proceed in the next few weeks. Also they are going to let everyone go for 5 or 7 days with no charge. If we decide that it is not going to work for us we can place memberships on hold or cancel with no penalty.

R381 did they say how long they would let you freeze and whether or not the freeze was contingent on showing up and trying it out? Because I don't know who in their right minds would want to do that right now.

I didn't ask that, R382

(I hit post too fast)

He also said we would get an email about 7 days before your club opens with more details about your specific club.

[quote] Showers, steam rooms, saunas ... will remain closed during the initial reopening.

This should be the headline!

OP - it sure was for me. After my husband's death I was hitting the juice pretty hard and tried going to other gyms but just didn't like them. Equinox was a good option cuz besides my workout they had a great lounge area, steam room, great bathrooms, classes and TVs to watch while I exercised and I met tons of interesting people (doctors, famous athletes, etc.). The quality of people and a place I enjoyed going to 5 nights a week helped me stop drinking more than one or two light beers (hot LA summers) or glass of wine at night on weekends only after 7. I lost 40 lbs and cut down to 11 slim cigarettes a day after 2 years of 1.5 packs a day for the past 3 years. It's more of a club and lifestyle so that is the way to justify the cost. However, this one was in Woodland Hills because they give you a free 5 day pass to try all the ones in your area and Encino was full of annoying self important people and Agoura Hills is full of Calabasas and Agoura types which are insufferable. I like a relaxed feel. They also have a site and you can track meals, find calories, educational pieces etc.

Sorry but the Woodland Hills Equinox is trash. You can NOT have sex in that steam room.

R378 - why it is so clean.

R388, I'm guessing you meant R387.

It might be clean but you cannot have sex in it!

They're watching....

Equinox: Hi all, The screenshot from above is correct. You can visit a club more than 3 times a week as stated in that screenshot.

Joel XXX: Equinox three times a week guaranteed spots and no showers etc. your value proposition is not as compelling LOWER YOUR RATES!

Equinox: Hi Joel,

You can visit a club more than 3 times a week, we just permit 3 active bookings at one time. For example, if you book visits for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, after your visit on Monday, you can book a visit for Thursday, subject to availability.

Along with this, we hear you and know that there has been a significant amount of change from the past. Everything that we have changed or implemented is with our community’s safety in mind. We’ve invested in extensive new cleaning practices, additional Maintenance Staff, and introduced impactful changes to our cleaning assortment and practices to make our club as safe as it can be. With that said, we are not amending club dues at this time.

In the link is what Equinox posted on FB. The club is responding to all of the postings;

"We believe that our brand promise, It’s not fitness. It’s life., is more relevant today than ever. It represents what we stand for, how we engage with our members and teams, and the significant role we play in their lives – especially in these uncertain times. Over the years you have placed great trust in us, and we take that responsibility very seriously.⁣​ ⁣​ The health and safety of our community is our number one priority. That is why we are introducing The Equinox Standard, our answer to the challenge of creating not only the safest environment for our community – but one where our community feels safe. Some of the measures are temporary and others will be permanent. Our measures align with CDC and local guidelines and are informed by our medical and infectious disease experts.​"

Maybe they'll take such a financial hit, they'll have to take average people.

Well, I don't know about that R393 but I'm getting a sense that EQUINOX is realizing that it has hit its memberships breaking point with its monthly fees. There were always the murmurs but they were manageable. However, the issue hit red alert when Stephen Ross had that fundraiser fro Trump. To me, the company has been in crisis ever since.

I mean, I don't know if I see the point if you can't shower, whether or not you're going to contribute to the nacreous layer of perma-cum during same. I mean, if I'm going before work, I don't want to have to go home again. And I live across the street from where I go.

Of course, I'm an undesirable NYSC Gay, so what do I know.

Take note how they say some of the changes will be permanent. That will probably mean they'll do away with the steam and saunas.

Take note how they say some of the changes will be permanent. That will probably mean they'll do away with the steam and saunas.

[quote]I'm an undesirable NYSC Gay, so what do I know.

Isn't that where everyone is flocking to in NYC? Let's see... Gold's is bankrupt (but I know of no Golds left in NYC anyway), 24/Hour Fitness is hanging by a thread, No one mentions CRUNCH anymore, and BLINK is EQUINOX

It's going to be interesting to see how these gyms will survive in NYC. So far I have heard NOTHING about landlords giving anyone a break! EQUINOX just simply stopped paying its rent and Ross ain't happy about that. But, that's EQUINOX!

[quote]Isn't that where everyone is flocking to in NYC? Let's see... Gold's is bankrupt (but I know of no Golds left in NYC anyway), 24/Hour Fitness is hanging by a thread, No one mentions CRUNCH anymore, and BLINK is EQUINOX

I mean, full credit to NYSC, after saying that anyone who kept paying dues during the shutdown (I assume to keep making rent) would get upgraded to one of their premium memberships for a year once we'd reached some semblance of normal. Then once it became clear this was going to keep going for a while, they froze everyone's memberships while continuing to give that same offer. I mean, apparently some people are still being charged, but I haven't been hit with a charge.

That said, they're in bad financial shape too. I have no idea what's going to happen if they go under. Planet Fitness is a joke, particularly for those who want to actually go for real bulk.

[quote]Planet Fitness is a joke

It isn't for true gym/workout loyalists. But, they have a great business model though! I'm trying to figure out where the gays are going, or have been going? The cost of Equinox knocked a lot of us out.

Let's see....

24HR Fitness has declared bankruptcy

NYSC (Town Sports) has declared bankruptcy

Golds Gym has declared bankruptcy

Planet Fitness has a coronavirus too

This has got to be killing Equinox. 4 months of no membership fees (I haven't been billed since February) and the costs of that new hotl must be killing them.

Planet Fitness customer tests positive for COVID-19, potentially exposing more than 200 people, health officials say

How long do we give it before gyms (in areas that have allowed them to re-open) have to shut down again?

So....

Has anyone of you folks returned back to Equinox? I did not. I'm now a member of TMPLE. I do not miss that $238/month bill! I got the following from the company a few days ago;

A VIP OFFER FOR YOU!

Hi (name),

My name is Brian Grogan, and I am a Regional Director here at Equinox. While your membership has been cancelled per your request, I wanted to extend an exclusive, VIP offer to you. We are offering this to a small group of our recently cancelled longtime members.

The VIP offer includes: A 30-minute health assessment with an Elite Fitness Coach

A 30-minute 1-on-1 training session with an Elite Fitness Coach

Unlimited complimentary access to our online digital platform Equinox+, which offers over 300 classes to our full portfolio of brands which includes Equinox, SoulCycle, Precision Run, Headstrong, and Pure Yoga. Just download the app and enjoy!

Rejoin for $0 initiation fee and start your monthly billing with the same monthly rate you had previously. We know how important fitness is to you, and our commitment is to provide consistency to optimize your health, especially at this time. You can reactivate by clicking here and someone from the club will reach out to complete everything.

We can also activate this via email or phone - whichever is more convenient for you.

In good health,

Brian Grogan Regional Sales Director Equinox New York City

R404 what is your rate at TMPL? What amenities does it include? Most importantly, what's the set up like for potential sex in the locker room?!?!

It's $114.00 month to month membership, R405. I didn't want a contract because I'm considering leaving NYC.

I think I’ll rejoin Equinox once steamrooms are back! Lol.

Otherwise I’ll keep going to my cheap gym.