163 Fitness closing for good

After originally hoping to reopen in June, owners of 163 Fitness in Prairie City announced May 22 the facility will being closing permanently. Dan and Phrana Myers and Max and Patty Keuning, owners, cited sanitization issues as a big reason behind the closure.

Originally opened as Real Fitness in 2011, the gym was rebranded to 163 Fitness in 2017 after former owner and trainer Molly Keitges to focus on her Knoxville studio where her family resides. Not long after the announcement by Keitges, the Myers and Keunings decided to purchase the gym to keep a local option available for the community.

For more than three years the gym held weekly classes but when the pandemic hit, 163 Fitness, like many businesses, was forced to close its doors to the public. With many establishments reopening under strict guidelines, the owners found they wouldn't be able to do so up to their standards.

"We’ve been spending time listening and reading about how we can create a safe distance for you and our trainers during each session and then sanitize to meet CDC’s and our standards after each class," the owners said in a statement. "While we can manage the minimum standards of social distancing at our center, we do not feel we can sanitize the carpet and ventilate the area to meet our high standards."

Multiple factors played into the decision to close, the owners said. Three main points where shared as to why they did not feel comfortable reopening the gym.

"Our sanitation standards are high. We do not believe that we can sanitize well enough to meet our standards. We need to do this after each class and that would be very difficult to manage with a part-time and volunteer staff who also have other professional and personal responsibilities," the owners said. "If COVID 19 was temporary, we could potentially make it through June, or even open up in July, but health officials have made it clear this pandemic and accompanying regulations will probably be our norm for several months and possibly for a year or more."

At the facility, carpet covers the floor, making cleaning difficult and the ventilation system is built differently than other fitness centers that continuously circulate fresh air.

"163’s system is not built that way," the owners said. "In the past, we have looked into changing the ventilation at 163 Fitness, but unfortunately that is price prohibitive."

Finally, the concern of members contracting the virus weight heavily on the owners.

"We would feel horrible if someone contracts COVID 19 — you, our trainers, our members, your families or ourselves. We absolutely can’t bear the thought of that responsibility," the owners said. "We care so much about every person who walks through our small business’s door. The concern that we have for all of you is very, very real."

While the doors will not be opening again, trainers at the facility have offering to continue posting free, daily online workouts through June 30. While the gym has been closed, the trainers have been reaching members through recorded workouts and live sessions.

"We are grateful to our trainers and everything they’ve done for the customers, owners and our center as a whole," the owners said.

The decision to close 163 Fitness was not done quickly or without much thought, the owners said. While they genuinely hoped to "make it" through the pandemic, the scope and reality of the situation was more than they could take on.

"We have had many sleepless nights and shed numerous tears over this decision and we hope you understand," the owners said. "We have created new friendships because of 163 Fitness and we have been very proud to provide this service to a community that we care so much about."

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com