LA Fitness — Local services in Chicago

Update: 6/17/2019

Disgusted. Ever heard of a mop? A broom? A vacuum? Dust bunnies the size of oranges rolling around the basketball court like tumbleweeds. Gunk next to, below the weight machined that was there in DECEMBER. I don't know how this place has passed its State of Illinois inspections.

his gym, like any business, has experienced normal growing pains over the years, since it opened in 2010. I’ve been a member throughout. As a rule of thumb, people tend to write reviews to gripe. So, let me write one to balance out the complaints with some accurate information. All I can say about the current state of East Loop is that you can’t help but applaud the new leadership on the way they have improved the experience for members. The newest Manager has hired a great group of team members. Friendly, professional, proficient. Any concern I’ve ever brought to their attention has been accepted and addressed immediately. And despite all of the reviews regarding membership issues, I have NEVER had an issue with my monthly payments. Not once, in over 6 years. Perhaps people should take the time to ask questions, read their contracts, and pay on time. Just my two cents.

Specifically, let me thank the custodial staff, who works tirelessly to ensure the facility is clean, neat/organized. These folks are unsung heroes. I know if I had their job, I’d lose it. You can’t force grown adults to pick up after themselves. I don’t care who the clientele is, or what neighborhood it’s in. Selfish, lazy slobs are a fact of life. C’mon people—put on your big boy pants and dispose of your empty water bottles, wadded up paper towels, and food wrappers. And please walk your used towels to the laundry bins. They’re all around for your convenience. If you have the energy to work out for 90 minutes, you can walk your buns to the trash bin.

Improvements I’ve seen: -Cleanliness: comparing it to other gyms in town (and even other LAF location), far superior. I’ve been to over 20 LAF locations in 6 states in the past 3 years. This location ranks towards the top. There are hand towels (despite what I’ve read, I have NEVER gone without) and multiple sanitizers available for members, as well as a crew that is continuously picking up, wiping down, etc. The pool, Jacuzzi and showers are clean beyond anything I’ve seen at other gyms. There is always a minimum of 2 attendants circling and re-racking weights, moving mats back to their rightful place, etc. Once again, it’s a shame members can’t respect others and do it themselves. -Security measures: They’ve cut down on non-member's use of the facility, which was a big part of the problem. If you don’t have a membership, you don’t enter. Towel service is back after a temporary hiatus. Once again, you can’t stop all theft from occurring, but you can’t take steps to minimize losses in the form of a security gate at the front desk like you’d see in a retail outlet, additional cameras, etc. Management cared enough to take steps to adequately address concerns. -Equipment is newer, and almost always in perfect working order. When something needs fixing, it’s done expeditiously. -Locker Room Lurkers: they cared enough about complaints regarding lurking in the men’s locker room that they’ve installed a locker room attendant to ensure that valuables are kept safe, and “extended stays” in/around the changing area, showers, stalls are minimized. The additional measures have absolutely made a difference. -Great front desk, trainers, sales, and maintenance/custodial. Kudos to whomever is responsible for hiring decisions.

Over all, no complaints. Keep up the good...

This club has been going downhill for years now. I only come here for the swimming, and yesterday without warning there is this silly ‘aqua class” taking up an entire lane of the pool, forcing further crowding of already-jammed lap lanes. Nowhere is there a posting about this so it comes as a complete (very unpleasant) surprise. No mention of this anywhere in the club or on the site. (Also, and I have no idea what this is but at the end of the pool there are 2 what look like “tents”)-again, I have no idea what these are for but maybe it is somehow connected to these swimming classes that take up an entire lane…I actually saw a family in the pool with a little baby(?!) how is this allowed, this is supposed to be a serious lap pool, that’s why people come here) What compounds the problem is that since LA Fitness bought out X Sport and shut down the South Loop location and dispatched all of those former members to this club, it is increasingly tough to get a lap lane here as it is. I called today and the woman that answered the phone had to put me on hold to find out anything about the swimming classes (no one is on the same page here) and when she came back to the phone she told me the classes are THREE DAYS PER WEEK from 3 pm till close (??!!) You’ve GOT to be kidding. I refuse to keep coming here and attempt to work around these senseless obstacles. Serious swimmers, stay away from here! Oh, BTW they took out all the paper towel holders. I thought they did that in order to put in hand dryers, but no. NO paper towels at all OR hand dryers. Just a blank wall where the paper towel holder used to be. I kid you not. Make sure you stuff your pockets with napkins; otherwise, you will not have anything to wipe your hands with. AND, to add insult to injury, they charge EXTRA, calling this a “signature” club. What a joke. And an insult to all members. Not to mention the frequent sudden closings of the showers, spa and pool – happens frequently without warning. Elevators didn’t work, literally, for months upon months if not years. These guys don’t deserve to be in a prime location like this. Degrades the entire area. But, WHY would LA Fitness buy out these clubs only to close them down, consolidate and then let them deteriorate?? It is SHAMEFUL; I’d love to fire these guys but it seems that the only better alternative would perhaps be FFC Union Station for swimming, except that that the cost is way too prohibitive unless you go there every day. Please, guys, lose these senseless ‘aqua” classes, open up all lanes of the pool again, install paper towel holders or hand dryers, keep the floors cleaner, fix the issues that cause repeated closings of the pool, spa and showers, replace the elevators and start presenting this club in a way that would be more representative of the prime surrounding area. And reopen the south loop location in order to drain off this horrible overcrowding that you created by closing it down in the first...

The manager "Tyler" has accused me multiple times (unfounded) of going thru lockers that aren't mine. The first time I explained that I had two lockers. The second time he approached me with this I was already leaving the gym and sitting in the lobby area. While in the seated area the Operations manager "Tyler" approached me an accused me again. At that point I asked to face my accuser. I wanted to know whom was aledging that I had gone into lockers that weren't my own. Tyler refused to let me face the accuser. I tried to go above him in hierchy at the facility, understanding that I myself am a member and that I had not gone into any lockers that were not mine. The demographic at this location is a melting pot of not only cultures and races but of sexual orientation. The particular row where I have my locker seems to have many individuals of the homosexual variety. The first time I was accused I saw a man leave his locker unattended acting as if he had forgotten to lock his locker. I then saw the attendant "Tyler" lingering in the hall of the lockeroom. I pointed out to him (Tyler) that the man was walking around strangely and had not correctly placed a lock on his locker. He nodded in a strange way and it was at that point that I realized that they were watching me as if I was going to attempt to go thru his locker. I paid that incident little to no mind and thought as most would "he's just doing his job", but once he approached me a second time, as if I was a guilty party, I then became irate. I have notified upper management and I am currently awaiting a response. I can tell you from first hand experience that he is however aware of a member who has been in not one but two physical altercations that have led to blows being thrown and have yet to remove or reprimand said member. Eventhough I do not think that this matter is racially charged I would not 100 percent rule it out. I also would not rule out the fact that because I do not disrobe in front of some of the members who are more openly apart of the LGBTQ community that may be an issue as well. Let this as well as the report that I have made to operations serve as my complaint against "Tyler" and LA fitness. If I am falsely accused again I will seek damages for being treated unfairly and being targeted because of my orientation and/ or skin color. I would like to use the facilities in peace like everyone else, after all I do pay 50 dollars a month for the...