Archive for the ‘226 Forum Drive’ tag
Gold's Gym, 226 Forum Drive: 1 December 2015 (flag change) no comments
Gold's Gym moved into the old Ashley Furniture Homestore location in 2010.
Now the local operation which had the Gold's franchaise has decided to rebrand their five Columbia locations as MUV Fitness (I won't attempt the heavy-metal umlaut):
Five Gold's Gym locations in Columbia, South Carolina, have rebranded as MÜV Fitness, Spokane, Washington.
The rebrand of the five clubs, which were franchised Gold's Gym locations owned by St. Andrew Fitness Corp., Columbia, went into effect Dec. 1. St. Andrews Fitness Corp. President John Burriss told Club Industry that his decision to rebrand was driven by a desire for expansion. The company plans to open a sixth MÜV Fitness location in Columbia in April 2016.
"We had a great relationship with Gold's Gym," Burriss said. "I love the brand, love the people in it and have lifelong friends in the franchise community."
St. Andrews Fitness Corp., which formed in 1986 prior to becoming a Gold's Gym franchisee, was unable to expand further as Gold's Gym in Columbia due to a corporate decision by Gold's Gym International (GGI), Dallas, Burriss said. St. Andrews Fitness Corp. exercised an option to exit its contract with Gold's Gym on Dec. 1, ending an 18-year run as a Gold's Gym franchisee
I don't know why Gold's didn't want to expand, but they have apparently been having their own problems at the corporate level: Gold's Gym President and EVP Leave, New CEO Appointed.
(Hat tip to commenters James R and Andrew)
Ashley Furniture Homestore, 226 Forum Drive (Village at Sandhill): September 2008 (ownership) 22 comments
OK, I'm not entirely sure what happened here (housing market crash related perhaps?), but it has the earmarks of being a big mess both for customers and the new owners, who have apparently put themselves in the unenviable position of running a store under the same name while having to explain to customers how they have no connection with the previous owners nor any responsibility to make customers whole vis-a-vis their dealings with same. I give them points for apparently making a good faith effort in that regard though. And where does this other company TRS fit into the picture?
I believe this is the third store on the highly visible left-front side of Sandhills to have something bad happen to it after The Atlanta Bread Company and Sofa Express.
UPDATE:
On the night of Saturday 25 Oct 2008 on my way back from Red Robin, I saw a new sign on Ashley. It was an official notice from the Sherrif or a Magistrate to the effect that Ashley either had to pay their rent or show cause why they shouldn't be evicted. I didn't have my camera with me, and on Sunday the 26th, it was gone
UPDATE 12 April 2010: Added full street address to post title.
UPDATE 21 May 2010 -- Apparently this place will become a Gold's Gym. I had previously reported that the Gold's would be going into the neighboring former Sofa Express location, but that seems to be a temporary presale operation only, with the actual gym going here:
UPDATE 14 July 2010: The Gold's Gym setup is done, and the temporary gym/presale in the old Sofa Express building is closed, with the new gym now running in this building.
UPDATE 25 April 2018 -- Ashley has returned to Sandhill, in the former H. H. Gregg location at 230 Forum Drive:
