This place is a cesspool of extortion, just like the corporate gyms we're so tired of.
But during their sales pitch in their facility, they very successfully came across as progressive in a way where they emphasize as themselves breaking away from the fine-print paperwork traps, notorious in the gym industry, (Bally's La Fitness, etc.), I went in just to ask about boxing classes, as they had an advertisment outside and I've always wanted to take boxing classes. A man quickly invited me into his office and offered a "trial membership," with boxing classes. It was $24 for this trial membership that would kick in when I began my boxing classes. He assured me the boxing coach would contact me within the next couple of days, which he did not. So I figured they never processed my inquiry and went on about my life. About a month later I see a charge on my account for $163 dollars from Optimal Gym. I called to express my confusion and explained I never received a call from the boxing coach. One of the managers emailed me saying he was bound by the contract, and that he was sure the boxing coach had contacted me, and that I must have just not called back. I had all of my voice mails saved up from the previous two months and there was nothing from any of their boxing coaches. So in addition to the $163 charge, he told me that they were now bound by contract to roll me over into a mandatory annual membership, where I'll be getting billed every month for a gym I will now never use. I explained that not only did I move out of the neighborhood, but that I was no longer interested in doing business with this gym. I emailed this manager and wrote:
"Hey, I know we all have a job to do, I have no hard feelings. This is business, not personal. I just think the business aspect on the part of Optimal Gym is very disappointing. I've had memberships at several gyms in the past and have been caught with fine print fees and charges following hard sells and assurances of no automatic charges to my credit card, with no notification, on several occasions. It's an industry notorious for that kind of stuff, like cable and cell phone providers.
But, while meeting with you, I felt a vibe that this was a different place and that you were trying to break away from that outdated and very unpopular mold. Unfortunately, I was wrong about that. Which, again, is not your fault, you're just doing your job. But at the end of the day I'm still forking over a lot of money for services never provided. Does that seem right to you?
And I know it's your word against mine and that gets us nowhere, but honestly man I did not receive those voice mails. So, overall, in my opinion, and speaking as a business owner myself, Optimal gym is no different, in terms of the unethical business model created originally by Bally's, and which is currently practiced by places like L.A. Fitness and Sweat, and, of course, good ol' Bally's...and now Optimal Gym."
I received no response. I am now paying monthly for a gym I a) can't use due to distance and b)won't use because of the unethical practices I experienced with the company. They are scammers, don't be fooled by the new optics. Preying on folks by essentially lying to get their credit card information and then inserting fine print into the paperwork that is never explicitly discussed by the manager during the consultation, is disgusting, unethical, and definitely does not belong in Queen Village. read more