Despite filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the local Blink Fitness outposts will remain open

After filing for bankruptcy on Monday, Blink Fitness said it may close an unspecified number of its 101 clubs. 

However, according to a report in Our Town, the 11 NYC locations, including on Avenue A between Sixth Street and Seventh Street and the NoHo outpost on Lafayette and Fourth Street, will remain open.

Equinox Group, Blink's parent company, is not filing for bankruptcy protection, per published reports.

Reported ABC 7: 

Around 25% of US gyms and studios permanently closed during the COVID-19 pandemic — roughly 10,000 facilities, according to the Health & Fitness Association, an industry trade group. Several major chains, including 24 Hour Fitness and Gold's Gym, filed for bankruptcy. 

Blink's bankruptcy shows the lingering impact of the pandemic on the fitness industry. During the height of the pandemic in 2020, Blink temporarily closed all of its clubs, leaving it without revenue to fund operations. Blink said in its bankruptcy filing that it is still financially constrained by rent payments it had put off and was still trying to catch up on from the pandemic. 

The 98 Avenue A Blink location opened in October 2017 in the retail space of Ben Shaoul's luxury condoplex. 

Before the demolition, the vast retail space was East Village Farms. That building opened as the Avenue A Theatre in 1926. RKO operated it, followed by Loew's, and it closed in 1959. 

Bring back the Avenue A Theatre!

A last (maybe) look at 100 Avenue A

Construction wrapped up in recent weeks at 100 Avenue A, Ben Shaoul's condoplex between Sixth Street and Seventh Street. The entrance (above) was ready for entry action the week of Thanksgiving.

To date, we haven't actually seen anyone moving into the 32-unit building... this past weekend, someone left all the lights on...



As previously noted, residences at the 6-story 8-story building started at $1.3 million. The website for broker Nestseekers shows that just two units are currently available. (Hey, nudity sells!)

The Blink Fitness Center in the retail space opened on Oct. 25, and it appears to be doing decent business. And if you're looking for an investment, the retail portion of the building is for sale for just a little less than $24 million.

Shaoul bought the former theater-turned market at 100 Avenue A in the spring of 2013 for $15.5 million. The demolition started in November 2013.

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And a look back to 2009, when the one-time movie theater was East Village Farms...



Previously on EV Grieve:
A little bit of Hollywood on Avenue A

Inside the abandoned theater at East Village Farms on Avenue A

Reader reports: Village Farms closing Jan. 31; building will be demolished

Asbestos abatement continues at 98 Avenue A, Ben Shaoul's latest East Village trophy

Wooing the condo crowd with naked women motif on Avenue A

The retail space at Ben Shaoul's 100 Avenue A is available for $24.5 million; plus, naked model marketing clarification!

Trying to figure out what is going on at 98-100 Avenue A

Part of the former Alphabets storefront will serve as sales office for Ben Shaoul's 100 Avenue A

Someone threw black paint bombs at the naked women condo ad along 100 Avenue A

Take a look at the inside of Ben Shaoul's condos at 100 Avenue A

100 Avenue A announces its incoming sales office with familiar naked, graffitied person motif

Blink Fitness is now open on Avenue A

The Blink Fitness opened today at noon at 98 Avenue A between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.

There was a ribbon-cutting ceremony this morning at 11:45. Here's more on the gym via the EVG inbox...

As a part of the Grand Opening celebration, Blink Fitness will donate 50 one-year memberships, worth over $10,000, to Lower Eastside Girls Club, an organization dedicated to connecting girls and young women to healthy and successful futures.

The newest Blink Fitness facility will boast a broad offering of top-of-the-line strength equipment that includes free weights, plates, and machines for upper body, lower body, and core, as well as a wide variety of premium cardio machines and a multi-use space for additional exercises, stretching, and functional training.

Certified personal trainers will be available for those members who wish to create a custom workout experience tailored to their personal goals. As a gym that promises to provide a premium experience to all who join, memberships are available for as low as $25 per month with a free start up personal training session.

Blink Fitness will bring its Mood Above Muscle™ philosophy to its newest location, celebrating the idea that exercise is not only about looking good, but also about feeling good. Blink Fitness strives to make working out fun and uplifting by creating a Feel Good Experience™, which is made up of five pillars that make Blink unlike any other fitness club. This includes their respectful and friendly staff, bright and open gym design using colors that are scientifically proven to enhance mood, a spotlessly clean facility, and music specifically selected to motivate members.

Here are the hours for the gym based in the retail space of Ben Shaoul's luxury residences at 100 Avenue A:

Monday-Thursday: 5 am to 11 pm
Friday: 5 am to 10 pm
Saturday-Sunday: 7 am to 7 pm

Blink Fitness opens Oct. 25 on Avenue A

According to the guy at the sales office anyway. The gym is at 98 Avenue A between Sixth Street and Seventh Street in the base of Ben Shaoul's 6-story 8-story condoplex.

Previously

Blink Fitness getting its Blink Fitness signage on Avenue A

Happening this afternoon at 98 Avenue A between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.

Signs on the windows say the gym is opening at the end of this month. Workers started carting in the machinery on Monday.

Memberships are, for now, $20 a month with $1 annual membership ... the membership office arrived at 115 Avenue A in late August. You can stop by Ray's for fried Oreos afterwards.

The gym is the retail tenant in Ben Shaoul's surrounding condoplex.

And two more shots via Peter Brownscombe...

Blink opens a sales office on Avenue A

[Photo via @edenbrower]

Blink Fitness is opening at 100 Avenue A this fall... ahead of that, the gym unveiled a temporary sales office yesterday nearby at 115 Avenue A ... The Blink website for this location shows a rate of $20 a month for an all-access membership ... and $15 a month for access to just the Avenue A gym.

The No. 115 space previously served as a sales office for Ben Shaoul's condoplex at 100 Avenue A.

Looking at some East Village gym options

[Reader photo from last week]

The coming soon signage for Blink Fitness arrived last week at 98-100 Avenue A.

The 12,000-square-foot facility, expected to be open this fall between Sixth Street and Seventh Street, has advertised fees "as low as $15 a month." Blinkers can pay $10 extra a month for a premium membership that includes access to any location. (Updated: This Blink location will be $25 a month, per a rep.)

After our post last week we heard from several readers who say they'll sign up for Blink, the low-budget sibling in the Equinox family ... mostly because of the price and also due to a lack other neighborhood gym options. (This is not taking into account more specialized places, such as Mile High Run Club on Fourth Street between the Bowery and Lafayette, CrossFit East River on Ninth Street near Avenue C or Nimble Fitness on St. Mark's Place. And SoulCycle on Lafayette and FlyWheel Sports in the Death Star.)

The Dolphin locations abruptly closed on both East Fourth Street and, several years earlier, on Avenue B.

One reader expressed frustration with the summer hours recently posted at the basement-level Iron and Silk on Third Street near Avenue A...



They are only open for four hours on Saturdays and closed on Sundays, two key days for people who work during the week...



There's the Synergy Fitness Club on 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue that, despite the sign saying they are open 24 hours, isn't open 24 hours...



Several members have described this gym to us as "sketchy" with random opening hours... then there was this flyer campaign that someone recently launched nearby... claiming "Synergy Fitness will send your account to Collection without ANY NOTICE"...



There's also the newish New York Sports Club on Avenue A between Second Street and Third Street. (Their website advertises a $39.99 single-club rate with multi-club access rates of $64.99 and $74.99.) Meanwhile, the 14th Street Y has multiple membership packages, though the prices aren't listed online.

Of course there's East River Park and the jungle gym at Tompkins Square Park. You can also get creative and take advantage of a stationary Citi Bike.

Blink Fitness signage arrives at 100 Avenue A

The Blink signage arrived yesterday (photos courtesy of an EVG reader) on the sidewalk bridge at 100 Avenue A, the incoming condoplex from developer Ben Shaoul.

As previously reported, a Blink Fitness gym is opening a 12,000-square-foot facility in the retail space here between Sixth Street and Seventh Street...



The signs point to a fall opening. (The East Village location has a holding place on the Blink website.) The site advertises rates "as low as $15" a month. (Updated: This Blink will cost $25 a month, per a rep.)

In other Ben Shaoul development news, New York Yimby got the first look yesterday of some interior renderings for 196 Orchard St., the 11-stories of condos going up adjacent to Katz's. The residential building, as noted before, includes a three-level Equinox gym, Blink's upscale relative.

As for the homes at No. 196, studios start at $1.075 million.

Blink, and there will soon be a gym at 98-100 Avenue A

[EVG photo from Friday evening]

The gym rumor for 98-100 Avenue A is true: Blink Fitness is opening a 12,000-square-foot facility here between East Sixth Street and East Seventh Street later next year, DNAinfo first reported last week.

Here's part of Blink's news release (H/T BoweryBoogie) about what will be their 11th Manhattan location:

Blink saw an opportunity to provide the area with an affordable, premium-quality fitness option for local residents. At 12,000 sq. ft., guests can expect to find top-of-the-line cardio and strength equipment and full service locker rooms, along with a crew of knowledgeable and friendly staff and personal trainers.

The club’s primary goal is to create a unique member experience through its Feel Good Experience™. This includes respectful and friendly staff, a bright and open gym using colors that are scientifically proven to enhance mood, an everybody cleans philosophy that ensures a spotless facility, and music to motivate members! Memberships in NYC are only $25 per month.

Blink, the no-frills sibling in the Equinox family, opened its first location around here in 2012 on the second floor of the former Tower Records. (The Blink entrance is on East Fourth Street between Broadway and Lafayette.)

Equinox already reportedly inked a deal to lease two floors of 98-100 landlord Ben Shaoul's incoming development on East Houston and Orchard.

As for 98-100 Avenue A, the crew seems to be working double time of late. The condo residences (33 in total) are up to the seventh floor. There are DOB permits showing a 6-floor and 8-floor building while the rendering shows seven floors.



So maybe it will end up at 9 floors.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A little bit of Hollywood on Avenue A

Inside the abandoned theater at East Village Farms on Avenue A

New Facebook group is advocating for a Trader Joe's on Avenue A

Workers back demolishing what's left of 98-100 Avenue A

Rest assured, there isn't a fire in the hole at 98-100 Avenue A

Ben Shaoul's 98-100 Avenue A emerging from the dewatering hole

Life next to 98-100 Avenue A

Condos at Ben Shaoul's 98-100 Avenue A will start at $1.3 million; high-end gym eyed for retail space