Wednesday, January 4, 2012

AG makes Fitness Zombie pay up

Letter from AG bearing a check

The New Year started off shockingly well for aerobics instructor extraordinaire Catherine Sanderson--not that she needs extra spring in her double step--as a check arrived from the Attorney General's office for back wages owed when the Leading Edge Gym (Amherst Fitness, Inc) suddenly locked their doors way back on October 20, 2010 with barely a few hours notice to staff and members.

The AG's Fair Labor Division confirmed mailing restitution checks to 37 former employees with a combined value of $14,800. Unfortunately health club members who paid for long term memberships (some of them only days before the closing) are not part of this settlement.

Don't feel bad for the former owners, Peter Earle and Joanne DeLong, as they recently sold the fire damaged small business condo in downtown Amherst for $190,000. Plus Peter (the Duke of) Earle seems to be creeping forward with his woman only fitness center a few doors down from their old "Leading Edge" location.

Although, the only thing accomplished since my previous 9/30 expose was vital window washing. And we are now into January, the number one sales month for the fitness industry nationwide. Not a great way for a new fitness business--especially one saddled with a negative rap sheet--to start the new year.

9/30/11

1/3/12


Cooper Mine tanning salon: never opened for business. Sold 7/1/11 $190,000

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ya gotta admit, the windows sparkle. Bringing out the chortle for the new year?

Anonymous said...

What is with your fixation on Catherine Sanderson?????

Larry Kelley said...

Newsworthy (unlike Anons).

Larry Kelley said...

Now who's the fixated fool?

Read the (very brief) story again: thirty six other area professionals besides Ms. Sanderson got their back pay.

Anonymous said...

I did read it...and that is what prompted my question of why Catherine Sanderson's name was the only one mentioned....what about the other 35 employees????

Either list them all or don't list any....or face being thought of as being fixated with Catherine Sanderson.

Larry Kelley said...

The "Saving Private Ryan" routine.

Don't try to cover the entire war, talk about how it impacts one particular person and let the story resonate from there.

My high ranking buddy at the Gazette, back in the day, used to joke that if a nuclear war broke out a reporter would start the story with, "Little Sally Smith took her dog Fido out for a walk yesterday morning under bright sunny skies, when suddenly..."

Anonymous said...

Apparently Larry finds personal courage combined with physical fitness to be attractive. Got a problem with that?

Anonymous said...

The folks who ran the Leading Edge were some of the meanest people who have ever tried to do business in Amherst.

Hopefully, word will get around.