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In Response To Recent Public Health Concerns

Updated

In Response To Recent Public Health Concerns

Self Esteem Brands, which represents Anytime Fitness, The Bar Method, Base Camp Fitness, and Waxing the City, is dedicated to keeping our members, staff, and all those in the community safe while social distancing during the COVID-19 crisis.

We believe that exercising is imperative for people to stay healthy, and we would like to offer our insight on how best our industry can adapt to new guidelines and move forward to operate in this new environment.

Our brands have a significant presence throughout North America. There are 2,650 independent, small business Anytime Fitness franchises in the United States and Canada, each employing approximately 4 people.  As such, we play a vital role in shaping our local communities. In many situations, we represent the only option that many people have to maintain and improve their physical health. We are proud to bring members a quality of life amenity that supports communities and helps people live healthier lives.

Our clubs are owned and operated by our hardworking, entrepreneurial franchise owners who care about and are invested in making their community a great place to live and work. Since the outbreak of COVID-19 and the beginning of Shelter in Place orders, we have been working day in and day out to put forth and implement tools that will best serve our franchise small business owners, protect our employees, do what is best for our members, and be responsible to the greater community.

We are committed to bringing the best of our organization to the table to work with government officials and health experts to map out the safest way for our businesses to reopen and serve our members safely. After monitoring industry and various federal and state guidelines, we have developed steps for Anytime Fitness owners. These guidelines are outlined below.

Franchisee/Gym Protocol

  • All safety guidelines will be made available upon entrance, throughout the gym, and via digital platforms.
  • Live and video monitoring of clubs will be implemented by each franchisee to ensure protocols are being followed.

Staffing

  • Staff will:
    • Understand quarantine behaviors;
    • Be strongly encouraged to wear masks and gloves at all times whenever provisions are available;
    • Know club capacity restrictions (if any) and how to monitor; and
    • No employees will share offices or be in enclosed spaces within 6 feet of each other.
  • Strategic scheduling will be implemented to minimize the number of staff members who work together.
  • A strict stay at home policy for any employees exhibiting symptoms and a reporting process for confirmed and/or potential COVID-19 contraction will be implemented.

Social Distancing

  • Strict adherence to CDC distancing guidelines, maintaining 6 feet of distance in all gym activities, and roping off or disabling equipment:
    • Gym capacity limited to a certain number of people, for example 5 people per 1,000 square feet if required by local mandates;
    • No contact training and no equipment sharing training sessions;
    • Social distancing signage and floor markers;

Enhanced Cleaning & Sanitation Protocols

  • Medical-grade cleaning products and hand sanitizers available throughout facility, and:
    • Require hand washing before and after workout;
    • Increase disinfectant stations with hand sanitizer available in lobby and throughout the facility whenever provisions are available; and
    • Pre-use and post-use wipe down protocol on all equipment, including office equipment and body comp scanners, as well as updating member processes to educate on cleaning and sanitation.
  • Detailed in-depth and frequent cleaning checklist:
    • Full facility will be cleaned thoroughly a minimum of every 2 hours with medical-grade product, including equipment and all surfaces during staffed hours; and
    • Bathrooms cleaned every hour during staffed hours.
  • Water fountains for refilling water bottles only.
  • No equipment sharing will be allowed.

As individual states continue to safely reopen their economies, we welcome and look forward to the opportunity to collectively work with local officials to find the best ways to open all of our health clubs that serve and employ those in our communities.

 

A message from our founders: Our COVID-19 response

The safety and health of our customers, franchise owners and employees of Self-Esteem Brands and our family of brands – Anytime Fitness, Basecamp Fitness, The Bar Method and Waxing the City – are of utmost importance as we adhere to COVID-19 policies and mandates from federal, state and local authorities.

  • The franchise owners representing our brands in communities and physical locations worldwide are independent, small-business operators. We have advised these franchise owners to continue to follow the guidance of local health officials and government mandates, and to use good judgment when making decisions that affect their customers and communities. They are closest to the latest local guidance and mandates; they are monitoring the course of events daily and making the appropriate changes to their local operations, including the closure of our storefronts. We do not have a timeline currently to reopen any of our closed locations. We will update this message with details as soon as they are available.
  • If you are a member of Anytime Fitness, many of our clubs are offering members a freeze on their memberships while the clubs are temporarily closed, with the time credited to the end of their memberships. We are also providing free access to our virtual content via our Instagram and Facebook profiles, including workouts, health and wellness tips, and members have access to workouts anytime, anywhere on the AF App. Some clubs continue to serve members through virtual training. Please check your local franchise location for details.
  • The Bar Method locations are offering members a variety of localized live stream offerings, plus a 30-day free trial of Bar Online. Please contact your location for more information.
  • Basecamp Fitness have proactively frozen memberships; current members are invited to engage with Basecamp Fitness virtually. Please contact your location for more information.
  • Again, the public and club members may access virtual online fitness, health and wellness content via Anytime Fitness, The Bar Method and Basecamp Fitness. Details can be found on their respective websites.
  • If you’re a Waxing the City customer, appointments are being cancelled and will be rebooked as soon as possible. If you’re a Club Orange member, your credits will continue to be applied to your account for use when your local studio reopens. No need to cancel; your credits will accrue be immediately available for you to use on current services, to try new services, or to purchase retail product. For questions about cancelling and rebooking appointments or regarding your Club Orange membership, please contact your local studio.

Above all, what matters right now – today – is your health and safety. Please do your part to help minimize the spread of this virus to others. Stay home, away from groups or crowds. Wash your hands frequently. Get fresh air and sunshine, safely, whenever you can. Move your body whenever possible. And please contact your health care provider immediately if you begin to develop any flu-like symptoms.

Our mission is to improve the self-esteem of the world, and our business thrives when our franchise owners thrive. Those words matter to us more than ever in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Please, stay healthy and safe, and we will look forward to seeing you again in the future.