BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Body Xchange Health Clubs announced the closure of its Northwest location, on Calloway Drive, due to COVID-19 restrictions and an ending lease agreement.
According to an email sent to members of the gym, the location's lease agreement is up and the location will close at the end of the day on Thursday, Jan 28.
The email stated that with the combination of the lease ending and the continued challenges associated with COVID-19, the gym does not believe it is financially viable or prudent for Body Xchange to renew the Calloway lease.
"I want to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart for supporting BX in these extremely challenging, difficult, and unprecedented times," Body Xchange owner John Ovanessian said in the email. "Without your support and our city’s support, things would look much different today."
Members of the Calloway location will be able to transfer their membership to any other Body Xchange locations.
Body Xchange has taken a number of different steps in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In July of 2020, Ovanessian announced Body Xchange would remain open, even after Gov. Gavin Newsom's order that gyms close. At the time, Ovanessian cited that exercise played an important role in people's mental health and therefore gyms should be essential.
The gym said it plans to have a large equipment sale for some excess Body Xchange equipment on Saturday, January 30 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Calloway location.
