Big Bear, Ca April 16, 2011 3:30 pm – Employees and members of the Weight Room in Big Bear Lake don’t know what happened. Andrea Walker, an instructor at the gym for 8 years, says she received a text in the middle of the night from owner Janeane Garcia saying there was a buyer for the equipment, that the gym was closed, and apologizing. That was the last she heard. When Walker arrived to work on Friday morning, everything was gone from the store. Walker says she and other employees haven’t been paid for the last week they worked. Members are also unsure about their contracts with the gym. They received no notification that the Weight Room was closing. Tony Swearington of Raw Fitness in Big Bear City and Ted Devito of Mountain Fitness Center in Big Bear Lake both confirmed their gyms would work with Weight Room members so they can maintain their fitness programs while shopping for a new gym. Ted Devito indicated he thought any of the fitness center owners in the valley would help. Vicki Johnston of Curves said, “We hate to see any business in Big Bear close. It hurts the community.”
