Boston Sports Clubs Abruptly Closes Medford Gym

MEDFORD, MA — Boston Sports Clubs shut the doors on nearly a dozen of its gyms this week amid continued financial trouble for the chain. Four of the closures – Bradford, Canton, Salisbury and West Newton – are permanent, and the locations have been removed from the Boston Sports Clubs website.

The other seven closures, including the gym in Medford's Wellington Circle, appear to be temporary for now. A sign hung up at the Medford location Thursday informed members the gym was temporarily closed, and the equipment will be sent to BSC locations in Woburn and Wellesley, NBC Boston reported.

Members will not be charged for the month.

The owner of Boston Sports Clubs filed for bankruptcy last month in a plan that would allow the popular gym chain to keep operating as it works out its debts following months of closures. Town Sports International LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware, meaning the company aims to keep the business alive while paying off its creditors.

"The duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and the extent of its impact on our business cannot be reasonably estimated at this time," Town Sports said in a quarterly earnings statement in September. "We anticipate that the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to negatively impact our operating results in future periods."

Town Sports was sued by BSC members in June over the company's continued collection of monthly dues during the shutdown. Attorney General Maura Healey said the company "hasn't been fair to its members about their right to cancel their membership and continued to charge members who tried to cancel. Make no mistake—this is illegal."

The company ultimately froze memberships and promised customers additional days of access equal to the number of days paid for while its clubs were closed.