‘ABRUPT’ CLOSURE OF CRUNCH FITNESS FRIDAY SHOCKS HUNDREDS OF GYM USERS IN GRAVENHURST; AND THEY LEFT ON THEIR OWN AFTER FAILING TO PAY OCTOBER RENT CLAIMS LANDLORD
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com
GRAVENHURST — Hundreds of clients were shocked Friday by the “abrupt” closing of Crunch Fitness.
When they turned up for their workout they found the doors locked and its equipment cleaned out.
Among them was the morning manager who arrived at 5:30 a.m.
Apparently he was one of those who “failed” to receive the sudden email sent at 4:30 a.m. from “general manager” Carrie Chou informing them that “the club was going to be closing early.”
Their website said early that day that it was “temporary,” but later in the day was updated to say closed permanently.
Crunch finally opened in the summer of 2022 at the height of COVID after a two-year delay with Chou reportedly listed as the franchise’s owner.
Chou’s email (below) cited “financial strains for October.”
She said: “However the landlord decided it was best for them to put in motion to take back the premises on Friday.”
However, Sonu Sodhi, a representative for the building, told MuskokaTODAY.com Sunday morning that the “tenant” left on their own, after not paying the October rent.
He said the owner is now actively looking a new tenant.
Sodhi said “it’s them, they didn’t pay the rent due Oct. 1.” and the landlord couldn’t carry them.
“They have to pay their bills, too. That’s just the way the lease is.”
He said the tenant still owes the landlord almost three weeks rent and that it is Crunch and its owner Chou just trying to protect themselves.
The news caught at least a couple of Gravenhurst gym users off guard when they turned up.
One quickly headed that day to sign up at the more expensive YMCA five blocks away in town, paying a $60 seniors rate rather than the more attractive $40 she said was paying at Crunch.
Both had belonged for about a year.
Amala Baul arrived Saturday afternoon and was “surprised” and saddened to see the Sharpe Street East building empty.
She hadn’t been to the popular gym in a month.
Baul said yesterday that she had not received the email closure letter; while another former member from a year ago had been sent it.
The first woman thought she’d heard Crunch had 1,500 paid-up users.
A member commenting online said there was no indication of the move on Thursday.
Others were less surprised or sympathetic.
Chou’s email, which she said “failed to send due to the email’s quantity limit restrictions,” added “ALL active membership billing was immediately STOPPED as of Thursday Oct. 16 2025, the day we received notice from the landlord.”
And: “We will be working through to issue any reimbursements for accounts for the paid period.”
Amy McGuey, who works next door at the Miss Jones cannabis store, said she’d heard from her manager that fitness workers had asked for a bin to removed Thursday to gain access to the back of their building.
Then all of a sudden members of the public saw equipment suddenly being removed.
As often happens in landlord disputes when tenants try to avoid locks being changed before they vacate and having it stuck in a legal limbo without any ability to gain access to it.
McGuey said Crunch had just this spring expanded a piece of its about 10,000 square foot floor space and taken a little bit away from Miss Jones when a wall was moved.
A call to Crunch’s Gravenhurst phone number 705-681-0950 on Sunday said: “This voice mail box is full, and cannot receive any more messages.”
Their website says the nearest Crunch is in Whitby, 198 kms away from Gravenhurst.
An Orillia Crunch franchise last just two years after opening in June 2020 and closing in early January 2022.
There are two other private fitness facilities in Bracebridge, Grit Strengthing and Conditioning, and Snap Fitness.
See this email sent to some members
early Friday, but not received by all:
From: Carrie Chou <carrie@crunchgravenhurst.ca>
Sent: Friday, October 17, 2025 4:28:26 AM
Subject: NOTICE: Crunch Gravenhurst
Please accept our most sincere apologies, as we tried to notify members this morning that the club was going to be closing early.
We discovered that it may have failed to send due to the email’s quantity limit restrictions. (please see below forwarded email)
This had been an abrupt circumstance that brought great grievance, as this was not the intention as the end result.
In full transparency, the company had notified the landlord of financial strains for October, in hope of relief and assistance. The best attempts were made to try to come to a resolution.
However the landlord decided it was best for them to put in motion to take back the premises on Friday.
With such little time, we were saddened we had to cease operations immediately as there was an active, meaningful community built over the years.
We wish we had more time together, but we are here to assist with the departure.
In regards to memberships, ALL active membership billing was immediately STOPPED as of Thursday Oct. 16 2025, the day we received notice from the landlord.
We will be working through to issue any reimbursements for accounts for the paid period.
We take your privacy and personal information seriously and there would be NO RISK of breach to any of our members’ data from this closure. Crunch Fitness is held to high PCI compliance and it will be active.
If there are any billing issues or with any questions you may have, please reach out to this email directly.
We thank you for your support over the years and hope everyone stays in great health, build muscles and keep well — as this was always the goal from the beginning!
We are honored and thank you for choosing Crunch Fitness to be part of your fitness journey.
Stay Fit.
Carrie Chou, general manager
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