Empire Fitness Clubs
29
August
(5 votes, average: 1 out of 5)
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8/29/2008 Update:
I get so many emails about Empire Fitness, that it’s almost too much to post. But here’s one sent to Hoboken411 this morning:
“I am a member at Empire Fitness on Washington St. Their hours M-F are 5:00 - 11:30pm (10:00 pm) Friday. This whole week, they failed to open on time. I am not talking about 10-15 minutes late, I am talking about hours. For example today, I got there at 6:45 am, and no one got there to open the place until 7:10 am. Speaking to others inside the gym, this has been going on all week (I can only account for Wednesday and today). The more frustrating part is that the gym does not acknowledge that there is a problem, or does not even seem to offer any sort of apology. I am locked in for a year, so I have little recourse. I just thought a blurb on your site about it would be a good idea so they are held somewhat accountable.”
See other fruity reports, including the “Ripoff Report” after the jump…
6/2/2008 Update:
Is Empire Fitness Clubs the next doomed business in Hoboken?
I only ask because a Hoboken411 reader send me this link from RipoffReport.com. It contains some pretty nasty allegations of illegal activities, shady business practices and more. Not sure if it’s just a disgruntled ex-employee, or an accurate account of what really takes place there.
Empire Fitness listed on RipoffReport.com
It is sad to be sitting here, as someone who has been burned very badly by this ‘business’, conveying my most recent experiences at a gym on Ripoff Report.com, but I feel obliged to deliver the truth. There are many terrible things going on here. Please take the time to read this completely and take the appropriate evasive action. I sincerely hope that this helps people avoid what has happened to me and many close friends at this gym.
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(— Middle three paragraphs removed - contains really serious allegations that could prove to be libelous if untrue - check Ripoff Report to read what was said.—)
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Employees are told to promise prospects that renovations like: new spin studio, classes, new stairway, new equipment, etc. will be delivered soon. Then when the members get angry, these promises are lies, then the employees are lambasted by the members they inadvertently lied to. Of course, when the employees try to seek answers from the owner, they are ignored or threatened. The members are the victims here as they are locked in a contract that continues to rob them and impose penalties without their consent or knowledge. The owner has been heard saying that if 90% of them figure out what I’m doing, then I still get 10% of them! Terrible.
I will leave this report as is and wait to see if there is interest or responses. If so, I will be glad to provide even more info, as there is MUCH MUCH more going on there that deserves exposure. If anyone out there can help my friends get the thousands of dollars that have been stolen by this terrible organization, please contact me or respond here.
Good Luck.
Karmapolice
New York, New York
U.S.A.
3/20/2008 Update:
Is anyone a member of Empire Fitness? What about previous members? Do you work there? Have you worked there? If so, read on….
Because…
What’s the deal with Empire Fitness?
We all know the drill sometimes with user comments. If someone is content or satisfied with a business, they often don’t think about stating their level of satisfaction online (although it’d be helpful if they did). Much of the time, it’s when an individual is completely unhappy with a place, such as a restaurant, hair salon, or gym that they vent their frustrations online.
I’ve received MANY user complaints about Empire Fitness lately, and I’m not sure what to do about it, other that summarize what folks have been saying, and ask that someone from Empire respond to those sentiments. You can catch up on some of the items in the comments section, but here is just a sampling of what I’ve seen come through my inbox:
- “They’re shady with the billing”
- “My rates increased without notification”
- “Staff rude, and not helpful”
- “Bad Better Business Bureau rating!”
I’ve never worked out there, but it doesn’t seem that members have a problem with the gym itself, but the gym as a BUSINESS. And if what I’ve read is true, I can agree that monetary and billing issues with an incompetent business is one of the most frustrating and time consuming processes. What’s even more frustrating is that gyms are a niche in Hoboken, and Empire seems to fill it, so it’s a catch-22. People often don’t want to go out of their way to the gym.
- If anyone from Empire wants to come on 411 and clear the air, that might help…
- Anyone who is a satisfied member with no billing problems might also want to comment as well (to get the whole story)
Enjoy your day!
12/22/2006 Update:
This is just a rumor, but read on and let us know what your thoughts are.
1. The cellular place in that building closed not too long ago.
2. Happy Nails closed recently.
3. The personal trainers at Empire Fitness who have taught classes in other gyms in the metro NYC area over the years were asked by ownership if their aerobics certifications were still valid. (This came from a source who wishes to remain anonymous.)
4. Contractors were seen recently at Empire with tape measures.
5. It’s no secret that the new NYSC on 14th Street is taking a chunk of the fitness pie.
Every year, it’s common that rumors about all the gyms go around. Who’s closing, who’s in the red, etc. One of those annual rumors is that Empire will be getting an aerobics studio. Have you heard anything? Is there something to be said about these recent closings? I’ve also heard that they want H&S Giovanni to move to the corner location so that they can bust the two stores down for Empire… Stay tuned!
Description - Health Club. Large selection of free weights and machines. No group fitness classes (YET).
Services - Health club, Gym - Hammer strength, Circuit training, Cardio-theater, TV system, Free parking
Website - www.empirefitnessclubs.com
Address - 605 Washington St, Hoboken, NJ 07030
Telephone - 201-222-3000
221. iceref | August 19th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Any thoughts on Supreme Fitness, thanks.
222. King of Rock | August 19th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
defend12 wrote:
This is the last time I address you. It appears that you are an illiterate teenager.
Who writes “Maybe he grew up dirt poor and this is LIKE a premium gym for him.”
You are probably one of those girls who talks on the cell phone on the 126 bus an starts every sentence with “Oh my God.’
The dirt poor comment is funny but very inaccurate. It appears that you must have had Daddy or still have Daddy subsidizing your cost of living. If you joined Empire then you were going for the cheap gym as well.
Finally, I wish you luck. Anyone who posts at 3:45 a.m. is someone in serious need of help.
As far as the employees not getting paid, I do not care - as long as it keeps my membership dues cheap, I am all for slave labor. Maybe Hoboken will stop paying its City workers and my taxes will stay at the same level.
Peace chubby.
223. CreativeAngel | August 19th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
defend12 wrote:
Defend12, just what in the HECK does growing-up “dirt poor” have to do with the shady operations of Empire Fitness?
(Surprise me, won’t you?)
While we’re at it, oh, ignorant dear, I dare you walk up to someone (yep, that requires stepping away from the safety net that is your computer) who’s grown up “dirt poor” and reason with him/her the assumption that an impoverished upbringing has likely brought about the filty management of Empire Fitness.
Tut-tut.
224. Litterboken | August 19th, 2008 at 11:09 pm
I BEG an in-person meeting so we can all throw our chubby bodies at this fuc*stick. He is so strong and wise he will surely repel us without breaking a sweat. Can we say, Saturday morning at 10? That’ll give us enough time to eat our waffles and get our carbo-sugar empty calorie rush of energy so we can flab ourselves against him in a futile show of strength.
Everyone meet there and then. He’s there all the time, enjoying his cheap and adequate gym. What will you be wearing, Princess of Rock?
225. Litterboken | August 19th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
This is directed towards “K”oR, btw, not you, Creative Angel. I have heard enough bragging from this “fella”. Put up or shut up.
226. defend12 | August 20th, 2008 at 2:47 am
King of Rock wrote:
Lucky for me I do web design and programming .Night is the best time to work .myreferenet
Your to IQ challenged and it makes no sense to talk to someone who’s brain is bankrupt . ie.programmers work @ nite a 4yr old would know that ,btw remind me what you love about Empire fitness again I feel like giggling
227. King of Rock | August 20th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Litterboken wrote:
Okay tough guy. I will be wearing your father’s bathrobe. Your mother tends to rip my clothes off when ever I show up to give her that little burst of protein.
You should remember it, it is the one that he would wear when he would sneak into your room years ago.
Just yell out my name on Saturday, I’ll determine if it is worth it.
228. defend12 | August 21st, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Litterboken wrote:
so it’s settled. there is room on this thread for both intelligent , wiseass snippets and violent discourse on all topics besides “EMPIRE FITNESS who has performed vile acts upon most of us who decided to share our bad experience in this thread .Karma police would not want this. King Of Rancid is a low-hanging fruit begging for verbal abuse…Please ignore him and put this thread back where it’s suppose to be and not where he is taking it (into the cesspool ,where his mind is )
229. Litterboken | August 21st, 2008 at 10:32 pm
defend12 wrote:
I really would never waste my time nor energy. But you’re right, it was bad karma to even go there in the first place.
230. aap | August 26th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
what a surprise! Almost a week since someone complained about the gym! Maybe everyone is on vacation?
231. ericwestham | August 26th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
new staff once again this week? unless they all went back to school….
232. Horse n Buggy | August 27th, 2008 at 8:31 am
So this might be the end for Empire…no one showed up this morning to open the gym. It’s supposed to open at 5am….as of 8am the doors were still locked.
The funny thing is that no one waiting outside for the staff to arrive was surprised… everyone was just like, “So I guess today’s the day. We knew it was coming”
EMPIRE SUCKS
233. ericwestham | August 27th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Very true i wasn’t surprised at 6amish this morning. Ugh that sucked. Possible the new morning guy decided to say screw this and management doesn’t know. Anyone know if it finally opened?
So i better cancel my CC
234. HansBrix | August 27th, 2008 at 9:17 am
The End of Empire. Sounds so profound.
F that! I still have five months to go in my membership! Fed bail out, anyone?
If it’s EF is really circling the drain, let’s hope someone buys the business and offers a decent deal to existing members.
The place did ok for over 10 years so its running off the rails this year seems sudden. One would think there’s a sustainable business in there somewhere.
235. rag246 | August 27th, 2008 at 9:26 am
Unless there’s a padlock on the door it’s probably just the employee screwing the owner.
I wonder what the rent is there.
236. HansBrix | August 27th, 2008 at 9:29 am
I hear that the morning staff did show but had expected the “maintenance staff” to have opened the building.
Whether it’s a matter of someone not getting paid or merely sleeping through an alarm remains to be seen.
But what I really want to know is - why did my earlier comment go into moderation?
237. rag246 | August 27th, 2008 at 9:51 am
HansBrix wrote:
Thank the Real Estate Bubble ™ for the fact that lots of private concerns are going under in Hoboken. As rents go up, many businesses can’t make ends meet without passing the rent costs through to the customers, and Empire can’t do that because their main value proposition was their competitive rates.
It’s counter intuitive, really, that Real Estate is still valued as high as it is. It should be obvious to everyone that it was a ponzi scheme from the get go, and now the bag holders are dropping like flies (Bear, Fannie, Freddie, FDIC borrowing from the Fed to shore up their ability to manage the bank collapses on the horizon). Try and tell that to the asshole selling their 2/2 for $600K, or the sucker who buys it.
238. Horse n Buggy | August 27th, 2008 at 10:14 am
So when I went by at 9am, the doors were finally open. FWIW, the front desk guy was there, but he said the maintenance guy was the one who had the keys and opened the doors.
But I give him credit, he stayed there and waited for 4 hours until they finally came and opened the doors. If that would have been me, I’d have said F**K it, and bounced!
Oh, and BTW, he said whe he tried to call the owner and the manager, neither answered their phone and both of their voicemail boxes were full…probably with complaints.
239. rag246 | August 29th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
My guess is this place is in its death throes.