Draves Trim, Tone and Tan Closing, Claims to be a "Casualty of the Sports Complex"

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Published on April 19 2016 8:16 pm
Written by Wayne Moran

A longtime Effingham business is closing, and claims to be a "casualty of the sports complex."

A sign hung on the front door states the last day for Draves Trim, Tone & Tan will be Friday, May 29.

Vicky and David Draves of Dieterich opened their business in July 1998, after purchasing Health and Fitness World from Gene and Diane Chastain. The family brought immediate changes to the business, including moving and expanding their 15-year home-based archery and hunting business into the building. 

Vicky Draves said Tuesday afternoon, "I've made friends here with so many people over the years, and now all that will be gone."

At its peak, Vicky says Draves Trim, Tone and Tan had over a thousand memberships, with features that were hard for other gyms to match, including a large gym, indoor tennis court, two racquetball courts, a pool, steam room, sauna, and a hot tub. On her members, Vicky was quick to note that, "We never forced members to long-term contracts like the sports complex is doing."

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But membership has been declining. Draves said she's seen a 30% drop since January and attributes that drop to the opening of the sports complex. Draves said she's worked hard to remain competitive, dropping her rates to below that of the sports complex, but said, "It's new and shiny. Hard to compete with that."

On that decline, "Draves said, When I did the books for January, February, and March of this year, and did the books comparable to last year, and was down 30% due to the new sports complex opening, I just can't afford to feed this place with IRA money, so therefore, it economically doesn't make sense to keep it open."

When asked about the message on the sign announcing their closure, she said, "It's just sad to see tax dollars used against you."

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Draves was part of a group of area gyms that initially opposed the sports complex. Vicky said she feels that Draves and other gyms were "not given the same consideration as Get Fit", and that "the entire process was rigged." She went on to say that no one from Rink Management, the firm hired to oversee the Workman Sports and Wellness Complex, "had ever approached me or asked to see my books or how many members we had."

When asked to comment on the claim that Get Fit Family Fitness was shown preferential treatment, Effingham Park District President Dave McDevitt Tuesday said, "We made the same offer to Draves that we made to Get Fit. We offered to use the same formula to purchase their business and they declined."

On the matter of Draves Trim, Tone Tan closing, McDevitt stated, "We find it hard to believe that the opening of the sports complex two months ago is the sole reason behind the demise of their business. That being said, we always knew that the complex had the potential to compete with local businesses, but we balanced that against our obligation to construct this magnificent facility that benefits all of Effingham County."

Vicky Draves said she felt the offer was "an insult" because she had operated "basically as a break-even business since July of 1998, just serving the community, my way of giving back. As long as I broke even, I didn't care." Draves said the offer to buy her gym had come after the purchase of Get Fit had been announced.

Ten part-time employees will lose their jobs in the closure, and Draves said telling her employees has been one of the hardest parts. Several employees have been with Draves since it opened in 1998.

Draves said she plans to spend more time with her grandchildren, including a new addition to the family, born this last weekend.