'It's like a death in the family': Xanadu Health Club closes in Lakeshore
A Lakeshore fitness centre that was forced into the spotlight at the beginning of the pandemic is closing its doors for the last time on Friday.
It's an emotional day for Xanadu Health Club member Tom Karent.
"It's like a death in the family," says Karent.
He had one last workout at the gym he's attended five days a week for the last 10 years.
"The building, the people, it's just part of me,” says Karent. “You come somewhere every day. It grows on you."
All eyes were on Xanadu two years ago, when the local health unit listed the fitness centre publicly as a possible COVID-19 exposure, one of the first local businesses listed during the pandemic.
The owners telling CTV News within a five day span, 600 people withdrew their memberships, and they've never recovered since.
“Throughout the entire pandemic we were shut down for 51 weeks so essentially one year,” says general manager Tanya Dupuis. “I had a restaurant out front as well that opened one month before so it didn't make it either. So it's sad. People just haven't been returning that we hoped and unfortunately both restaurant and gym are volume-based businesses and we just aren't seeing that volume return.”Xanadu equipment sale in Lakeshore, Ont. (Source: Xanadu/Facebook)
Dedicated members say the gym not only helped with physical health, but mental health.
"It's one family. I'm going to miss them all," says member Betty Phillips.
Management says they feel the same way.
"We want to thank anyone who has ever been a member of Xanadu and we will miss you," says Dupuis.
The gym is refunding members who have paid in full and the monthly memberships were pro-rated.Xanadu message to members in Lakeshore, Ont., on Sept. 23, 2022. (Stefanie Masotti/CTV News Windsor)
Several Life Fitness machines and Matrix treadmills are for sale on the company’s social media pages.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
U.S. FAA launches investigation into unauthorized personnel in cockpit of Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a video that appears to show unauthorized personnel in the cockpit of a charted Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto.