Curves For Women Franchise: 20% of Curves Franchises Closed in MA

05 02 2008

Curves For Women Franchise: 20% of Curves Franchises Closed in MA

Posted by: in Networking

Photo: Bobu. Licensed by Creative Commons.

(FranchisePick.Com) In it’s article Curves sheds a fifth of its fitness centers, BostonNow Business reports that both membership and number of Curves for women franchise clubs in Massachusetts has declined significantly in the past three years. According to the article citing information from the Boston Business Journal:

“…Owned by local franchisees, last year the number of Curves gyms in Massachusetts dropped 20 percent to 156 from 194 in 2006, and was down almost 30 percent from the 218 sites that were operating in 2005, according to research by the Boston Business Journal. Membership levels in the say also dropped 20 percent to 62,400, from 77,600 in 2006.

“A spokeswoman for Curves International Inc., headquartered in Woodway, Texas, attributed the falloff to a shift in company strategy.

“‘We have always tried to keep every club open and that’s not always the best decision,’ stated Becky Frusher, Curves’ corporate communications manager. ‘There are some owners who shouldn’t have bought a Curves … that’s normal with any retail business. We’ve taken a different approach of, maybe we shouldn’t struggle to keep each club open.’ …

“Donna Henderson, who manages the 500-member Curves in Watertown, notes that Curves gyms in Waltham, Brookline and Belmont have shut recently…”

“Nationally, the fitness chain’s stature has also flagged. According to Entrepreneur.com’s annual Franchise 500 rankings, the company dropped from No. 2 in 2005 to No. 185 this year.”No experience necessary. Unless you fail. Then you should have been experienced.

According to Curves, the reason for the failures was presumably that the franchisees weren’t “business owner” material. Does that mean Curves tightening up their franchise requirements, and seeking franchise owners with prior fitness club experience? Not according to their website, which says they assume franchise owners have no experience. They’re shift in business strategy seems to be to cease feeling bad about it and accept a 20% failure rate as “normal with any retail business.”

So in your search for a solid franchise opportunity, be wary of those who say you can be “In business FOR yourself, but not BY yourself.” Once you’re OUT of business, you’re definitely BY yourself… So go into it understanding that there’s NO system that, if followed, assures success.

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