Gym members campaign to save Pro Maxx Fitness

Members of Pro Maxx Fitness have been carrying signs along Columbia Pike for the past two days – and plan to be out again today – to publicize their efforts to prevent the gym from being evicted by the management of the Annandale Shopping Center.

An online petition to save the gym has gotten over 650 signatures so far.

The gym’s owners, Susan Hilaski and Ahmed Ragheb, a former Olympic weightlifter, have been advised not to speak publicly about the eviction, as the matter will be heard in court, on Sept. 19.

Ragheb did speak out, however, about his concern about the gym’s 28 employees losing their jobs. “All I care about is my employees,” he said. “I don’t care about myself. If it is an issue with me personally, I am happy to step aside and no longer be a part of this business, just as long as my employees don’t have to suffer. That is all I really care about.”

A press release issued by Personal Training Manager Rachel Martin and Pro Maxx member Patricia Giera, offers a few more details from the gym’s perspective about the leasing dispute.

“Pro MAXX Fitness was slated to open at the end of 2012, and at that time had a five-year lease that was verbally agreed to by both parties and presented as the lease to others,” they state. “The owners, Susan and Ahmed, proceeded with renovations, which entailed complete overhaul of the whole building and a rebuild with high-quality materials at a great expense to the owners.”

“Unfortunately, in November 2012, just prior to opening, the gym was broken into and many items, including televisions and electronic equipment were stolen,” Martin and Giera state. “The opening was delayed, and the owners had to pay to replace everything. Because they had already paid for the build-out, the property manager made a verbal agreement to charge only a percentage of the rent until the business was up and running and able to afford full payments.”

“Susan and Ahmed began paying full payments as agreed, and a written lease was requested,” the  statement continues. “The lease that were presented at that time, however, had changed to terms that Susan and Ahmed were unable to accept. To date, they have been unable to come to a lease agreement, all offers by the owners have been rejected, and counter offer terms made by the property manager were not achievable. Currently without a written lease, Pro MAXX is renting month to month.”

“Despite paying rent on time as verbally agreed, the property manager has initiated the eviction process and the eviction hearing is scheduled for Sept. 19. The business is doing well based on its membership and business plan, and we have researched other venues,” they say. “Unfortunately, the bottom line is that the cost of the initial build-out has left significant debt that the owners must continue to pay even if evicted, and until the business has a chance to remain in this location long enough to gain a profit, we are unlikely to be able to afford the costs of starting again at a new location.” 

Pro Maxx has ceased billing for membership fees or personal training sessions for the month of September, but is “still providing services as best we can until we are ordered to close,” Martin states.

The gym has about 1,000 members, with about half of them police officers, firefighters, EMTs, military, teachers, students, and seniors. Its services include a competitive weightlifting team; more than 100 fitness, Zumba, yoga, and other classes a week; massage therapy; and an outdoor boot camp. In June, Pro Maxx was named the best gym in the Annandale/Mason area by readers of the Annandale Blog.