SAVING ODYSSEY A COMMUNITY STAPLE IN WALDWICK NJ
Donation protected
We have done our best to weather the pandemic up to this point. However, we are now in a very tough position with our landlord. They are seeking 100% rent for the past 16 months including 6 months of which we were 100% closed which equates to roughly $375,000. This was all due to a pandemic and government mandate not through a failing business.
Since the 1980s, Odyssey Athletic Center has built a strong reputation for changing thousands of lives for the better. We have built a community, a safe space, and a second home for the members of the Odyssey family. Our 27,000 square-foot athletic center features top-of-the-line fitness equipment, functional training, 1-on-1 training, nutrition guidance, racquetball, squash, and other exclusive services that support your lifestyle.
We have made our mark in Waldwick, New Jersey, for over 30 years, growing up with families and individuals seeing progress being made every day. The smiles we see on everyone's faces walking through our doors cannot be compared and is truly the most incredible feeling. We like to think of ourselves as the “Cheers” of the gym industry, “where everybody knows your name”. Odyssey loves giving back to the community through sports sponsorships, tricky trays, and being that constant when a family is going through hard times. We thrive on our social environment and that our community is our backbone to create that special social vibe.
The Covid pandemic has not only forced us to limit our capacity the past 16 months, but we flat out had to close our doors for 6 of those months, putting us in a situation we never thought we would be in. Like most businesses during the pandemic, we are suffering much more than we could ever imagine.
We have done our best to weather the pandemic up to this point. However, we are now in a very tough position with our landlord. They are seeking 100% rent for the past 16 months including 6 months of which we were 100% closed which equates to roughly $375,000. This was all due to a pandemic and government mandate not through a failing business. We did receive some PPP Government Loan money, however, the majority of that loan was used to help retain staff, not help operating expenses such as rent, utilities, debt obligations, maintenance, etc. Unfortunately, the fitness industry does not have any grants out there currently. We have reached out to our congressman a few times over the year with no response. We would love for our members to reach out as well to help our industry. It is strength in numbers. We have also tried to work with the landlord and pay what we could. We have tried negotiating with the landlord as well with no counteroffers. Unfortunately, this has pushed us to attorneys and the courts which will cost significantly more money out of pocket to try and settle and negotiate terms moving forward.
The last thing Odyssey Athletic Center wants to do is close its doors, and break them to our members who will be losing their second home. It has been extremely difficult to put this out to the public, however, we feel it is necessary to let our community know our situation and that we need your help. Whether it’s donating, joining the gym, or spreading our story, it all helps... This does not mean goodbye from Odyssey yet but a reach out to our community to help put us in a position to renegotiate our lease agreement and settlement.
Any amount that can be donated will help tremendously. The intention of this money is to close the gap between us and our landlord to come up with a structured settlement to ensure a bright future for Odyssey. We truly appreciate you taking the time to read this and understand our current business situation.
~Odyssey Athletic Center
Since the 1980s, Odyssey Athletic Center has built a strong reputation for changing thousands of lives for the better. We have built a community, a safe space, and a second home for the members of the Odyssey family. Our 27,000 square-foot athletic center features top-of-the-line fitness equipment, functional training, 1-on-1 training, nutrition guidance, racquetball, squash, and other exclusive services that support your lifestyle.
We have made our mark in Waldwick, New Jersey, for over 30 years, growing up with families and individuals seeing progress being made every day. The smiles we see on everyone's faces walking through our doors cannot be compared and is truly the most incredible feeling. We like to think of ourselves as the “Cheers” of the gym industry, “where everybody knows your name”. Odyssey loves giving back to the community through sports sponsorships, tricky trays, and being that constant when a family is going through hard times. We thrive on our social environment and that our community is our backbone to create that special social vibe.
The Covid pandemic has not only forced us to limit our capacity the past 16 months, but we flat out had to close our doors for 6 of those months, putting us in a situation we never thought we would be in. Like most businesses during the pandemic, we are suffering much more than we could ever imagine.
We have done our best to weather the pandemic up to this point. However, we are now in a very tough position with our landlord. They are seeking 100% rent for the past 16 months including 6 months of which we were 100% closed which equates to roughly $375,000. This was all due to a pandemic and government mandate not through a failing business. We did receive some PPP Government Loan money, however, the majority of that loan was used to help retain staff, not help operating expenses such as rent, utilities, debt obligations, maintenance, etc. Unfortunately, the fitness industry does not have any grants out there currently. We have reached out to our congressman a few times over the year with no response. We would love for our members to reach out as well to help our industry. It is strength in numbers. We have also tried to work with the landlord and pay what we could. We have tried negotiating with the landlord as well with no counteroffers. Unfortunately, this has pushed us to attorneys and the courts which will cost significantly more money out of pocket to try and settle and negotiate terms moving forward.
The last thing Odyssey Athletic Center wants to do is close its doors, and break them to our members who will be losing their second home. It has been extremely difficult to put this out to the public, however, we feel it is necessary to let our community know our situation and that we need your help. Whether it’s donating, joining the gym, or spreading our story, it all helps... This does not mean goodbye from Odyssey yet but a reach out to our community to help put us in a position to renegotiate our lease agreement and settlement.
Any amount that can be donated will help tremendously. The intention of this money is to close the gap between us and our landlord to come up with a structured settlement to ensure a bright future for Odyssey. We truly appreciate you taking the time to read this and understand our current business situation.
~Odyssey Athletic Center
Organizer
Douglas Kirchner
Organizer
Waldwick, NJ