Franchise Pick

29 opinions for LA WEIGHT LOSS RUMORS: More Centers Closing (UPDATED)

• KH Poser
  Jun 26, 2008 at 8:54 am

  I was an Area Manager for LAWL for the last 2 years. The handwriting is on the wall. They will soon evaporate ALA old Nutrisystem Centers. The laweightloss.com website reports that the company has 450 centers open, but it is a lot less than that. They have been closing 20-30 units now for the last several months. Many of the franchise centers were taken back over by corporate in an effort to re-invigorate the brand, but they could not make it work. Many of the centers are doing as little as $2000 a week in sales. When sales are that low, it makes it impossible to advertise. Weight Loss is dependent on being top of mind when the consumer is ready to make that call. I left the company about 2 months ago to go into another industry. I could see the cutbacks on the horizon. I feel sorry for the team members that hold out until the end.

• sean
  Jun 26, 2008 at 10:26 am

  They will soon evaporate ALA old Nutrisystem Centers.
  ??? Kelly: Is there a relationship between LA weight Loss & Nutrisystem? I know they are (or were) HQ’d in the same Horsham office park, but what’s the story?

• KH Poser
  Jun 26, 2008 at 3:42 pm

  Hi Sean-

  Harold Katz was the original founder of Nutrisystem. He had Nutrisystem when there were “brick and mortar” storefronts (not the online model like today). He had over 2000 centers at one point driven through both franchising and corporate centers. They made false advertising claims and some clients claimed gallstone trouble and it brought the company to their knees. They closed centers by the 100’s. Most LAWL franchisees were past Nutrisystem Franchisees (although many people do not know this). Neal Smith for instance was a franchisee out of Birmingham Alabama of Nutrisystem. When Harold Katz created LAWL, he enlisted many of his successful franchisees of Nutrisystem to begin franchising with LA.

  Thats why both companies were in Horsham. To my knowledge, Harold Katz has not affiliation with the now publicly traded Nutrisystem.

• KH Poser
  Jun 26, 2008 at 9:23 pm

  Wiki Harold Katz for a more complete history.

• Boise Gal
  Jun 27, 2008 at 1:53 pm

  Boise Idaho and Springhurst KY are also closing.

  Greenville, TN, Asheville, SC and Spartanburg,SC are also in the process of closing.

• Rebecca D
  Jun 27, 2008 at 8:32 pm

  A lot of the centers are closing in my area of Alabama too. I know the Decatur center is closing and one of my friends told me there are several in the Atlanta Market Closing.

  I think what comes around goes around has finally caught up with this company. Their business model only worked by being unethical. Once they started disclosing the facts to potential clients–they realized their business model was not strong enough.

• KH Poser
  Jun 30, 2008 at 8:52 am

  In Georgia, the following centers are slated to close:

  Conyers, Alpharetta, Stone Mountain

  There are more center closings coming.

• KH Poser
  Jun 30, 2008 at 8:53 am

  In Georgia, the following centers are slated to close:

  Conyers, Alpharetta, Stone Mountain

• Kate
  Jun 30, 2008 at 9:08 pm

  Owensboro, KY is also closed

• Dianne L
  Jun 30, 2008 at 10:55 pm

  All of the Montana Centers have been axed. They are in the process of closing those. I heard Hursbourne in Kentucky was gone too.

• KH Poser
  Jul 1, 2008 at 9:50 am

  With so many refunds being processed to clients at the closing centers, I would not think the company will be around after summer. Summer is the slowest time of year for most weight loss centers because of vacations, weddings, etc…Not factual information–just speculation. But if they are closing so many units, they can’t survive much longer–especially with today’s economy.

• Char
  Jul 4, 2008 at 12:58 pm

  Consumers and employees BEWARE of LA Weight loss Franchise CO. They are in fact closing multiple units monthly. Everytime they take over a market from a franchise owner (because the owners were going into bankruptcy due to lack of support from the corporate office-Currently several of the owners have filed suit against Harold, Tim Britt, Bill Warin and Kriti McKenna for violation of the UFOC agreement-Not sure if Deb Towes was named in the suit because she is not an officer of the company) they make empty promises to the staff and clients acting like they are riding in on their white horses. They will start having blow out sales on product, DO NOT PRE PAY for product or you will regret it. Within a month to 6 weeks of the take over BAM! They start closing centers, changing pay structures, cutting staff. It is common practice to only have 1 person in center for the whole day to service clients. There goes client service. Then the refund request start coming in by the droves. The managment staff is put under a lot of pressure to make sure that certain amount is sold weekly if it is not there is hell to pay. In the end the result is always the same, the market shuts down. 100s of centers have already shut down across the US and now they are moving to Canada. They have just taken over Toronoto and centers have already begun shutting down. I agree with Kelly, the company is going to have a hard time surviving the summer. If they do survive then they will have to face Nov and Dec which is just as slow as summer if not slower for the weight loss industry. I am sure it is not easy being in the shoes of the individuals that make the business decisions for this company but wake up you keep getting the same result-FAILURE! Hasn’t Harold had enough bankrupt companies? He is not a stupid man, change your business model it obviously is NOT WORKING. I wish all current clients and employees much luck and strength. You are going to need it.

• becca
  Jul 15, 2008 at 12:02 pm

  All the Colorado centers are scheduled to be closed by August 29, 2008.

• wanda
  Jul 15, 2008 at 4:53 pm

  How do you Know this? Or, where do you receive your info from?

• D V
  Jul 17, 2008 at 6:59 pm

  Wow Kelly I hear you and I still hope you are wrong. I no you no how much I care about the clients and I have and will continue to give 100% to the end. If the company doesn’t care all of my members now and at the centers in the state we both worked will always know I did my best to help them and I really do care. It will really suck to see it end, but I will be able to look them in the eye and know I really did help people.

• Claire
  Jul 24, 2008 at 3:43 pm

  Chattanoga, TN will be closing by the end of July.

• D V
  Jul 27, 2008 at 7:28 am

  Still praying

• Beth
  Jul 31, 2008 at 12:37 am

  How do I get nearly $5,000 that I paid in advance back from them? Someone help! The Fresno California locations just took me for a big ride! Can anyone help with getting this back?
  Shame on them for doing this to us who trusted them with our health and money.

• Faye S.
  Aug 6, 2008 at 10:43 am

  Evansville, IN is now closed.

• Kandi
  Aug 14, 2008 at 8:25 am

  The Columbia,TN site closed as well. I was only a member for 2 weeks when they closed. I complianed enough that they refunded me a portion…. then they CANCELLED THE CHECK!!!!!! LA Weightloss is a horrible company and I hope they all close

• Carol Cross
  Aug 14, 2008 at 10:27 am

  If the FTC is in business to protect consumers, why has the FTC permitted ineffective regulation to enable experimenting franchisors to sell unviable franchises to innocent franchisees, who then have to “stiff” the public when they fail?

  Let’s look at the real problem here and how can it be fixed?

• ConsiderTheSource (Disgusted with Kelly & Donna, aka DV)
  Aug 22, 2008 at 12:20 am

  Before you believe everything that you read…consider the source….

  I have had worked with Kelly and Donna, aka DV in the past. In my opinion ethics wasn’t a strong suit with either. Funny, though Kelly doesn’t mention she failed as an area manager, took a demotion, then “left the company”. And Donna, it’s sad that you accept a paycheck from a company that you criticize with your old buddy. What does that say about your character? It’s really pathetic that you criticize a company and a program that actually works, and has worked for myself as a client, yet you will happily spend its money…hmmm, ethics and character at work…

  Companies do restructure, or buy and sell offices, it is business. Look at the coffee shops, some reputable ones are struggling too…It is business, and with the economy, I cannot blame any business for trying to make it with today’s economic conditions.

  But shame on both of you, you could discourage someone who needs help and could get good, caring help, like I did, and from succeeding on a weight loss program. I hope you both sleep well at night, but then that is the time that spineless creatures crawl under their rocks…right? But as the saying goes, misery loves company, and you two are a couple of the unhappiest people I know. I almost feel sorry for you. No, I should feel sorry for people that believe you, and actually believe you to be credible. But, then again, they do not know you…do they??

  Hopefully they remember the old saying… believe none of what you hear, and half of what you see… and ignore unhappy, disgruntled lonely women, who have nothing better to do than to try to be vindictive. Please do us all a favor, find a hobby.

• sean
  Aug 22, 2008 at 2:09 am

  Consider the Source writes: Before you believe everything that you read…consider the source…
  CTS: We don’t really care about the source. We care about whether the information is accurate. So far, people have been posting warnings and rumors about store closings and they have turned out to be true. It appears that the centers continue to sell prepaid products and services even after they know that they’ll be closing and will not be around to fulfill them. Can you help shine some light on that issue?
  I’d appreciate it if you could avoid ad hominem arguments (where you attack the person, not the point they’re making). I don’t have time to edit out personal attacks. There are more serious issues here, don’t you think?

  Companies do restructure, or buy and sell offices, it is business. Look at the coffee shops, some reputable ones are struggling too…It is business, and with the economy, I cannot blame any business for trying to make it with today’s economic conditions.

  Starbucks is closing 600 stores. However, Starbucks corporate communicates this upfront in a professional manner. They aren’t selling year contracts for thousands of dollars, or taking orders for coffee, then closing without warning and not communicating with the customers they’ve left stranded with neither their money nor a program.

  How is this helping people get good caring help?

• D V
  Aug 24, 2008 at 4:28 am

  Well all I can say is I have not said a negitive thing here! I am still there still helping people and as I said praying that Kelly and others here are wrong. Ethics, how can you say that about me because I do care and I know I have seen lives changed by this program. I wish whom ever this is making personal attacks without a reason. I can only assume who would do such a thing be cause I only know one or two people in the company it could be.
  Again I am and have said I am still praying the rumours are wrong!

• sean
  Aug 24, 2008 at 6:27 am

  DV:
  I agree. People should not be making personal attacks against individuals here. That’s not what the discussion is for.

  However, DV, is praying for a good outcome enough? Most of the employees of Pure Weight Loss claim that they were taken completely by surprise when they learned their center was closing. They had signed up people the same morning and took their money for services they will never benefit from and products they will never receive. But they claim they had no warning.

  However, LA Weight Loss employees must surely know how Pure Weight Loss folded abruptly and left thousands feeling tricked and cheated. (PWL was a separate company - but the same system). You and the other employees surely read here and at Weight Loss Complaints about the widespread closures and the LAWL customers being left stranded. Can LA Weight Loss employees really be surprised if their manager tells them at 4 p.m. some day that this is their last day and the doors will be locked for good?

  If that happens, do you feel that the employee who took $1500 cash from some woman at 3 p.m. for a program she’ll never receive is really in the clear, ethically, because she feigns surprise and had prayed about it?

  Are you really helping people by putting their finances and self esteem at risk?

  LA WEIGHT LOSS: Widespread Closures Reported Across the Nation
  LA WEIGHT LOSS EMPLOYEES: “How do you sleep at night?”
  LA Weight Loss Complaints
  LA WEIGHT LOSS: Evansville, IN Center Sold Memberships a Week Before Closing

• D V
  Aug 24, 2008 at 10:40 am

  To my knowledge no one at LATO has done that when we have had a center to close in my area and combine with another center we tell the clients that are current and we will not sell a program that last longer than we will be there. Now granted I have only been here to see one center close and we handled it thaat way. I do know of a center in the same state owned by someone else that closed with no notice at all to anyone including employee that was waitng outside that center to go to work. I helped any member that called me from that area with a center near them and did all I could to help.
  I would not do that or be part of it.
  The system is a great system.
  I care deeply about my members. I am hoping this is all going to work out and this can continue helping men and women change their lives.

• The "Real" Kelly Hartlage
  Aug 26, 2008 at 9:58 pm

  Dear Consider the Source, Sean, DV and all the other people on this site,

  Someone has been using my name writing terrible things about LA Weight Loss and LATO as well as being very negative and nasty. Although I did leave the company and not that it matters….. but because I wanted to move back to Louisville from Memphis. There was already an area manager for this area at the time, so I took a demotion to have a job on my return. I am very close to my family and have some terminally ill family members here. I wanted to be back in Louisville for them.

  I am saddened by all the closures and changes because as my letter of resignation to Debi Toews stated I will always believe LA Weight Loss is the BEST weight loss program ever! Anyone that truly knows me knows this to be fact. It is why I stayed through some tough times….and I don’t feel the need to comment on the negative things said about me personally. Those who know me wouldn’t actually believe that I would ever write those things to begin with and this is for all of you who don’t know me.

  I will ask the person who is falsely using my name to stop immediately. I have contacted Sean from this site and will look into this legally if it continues.

  [We have very few rules about posting comments. One of them is not using other people’s identities, either directly or implied. Do that and you’ll not only get blocked from the site, you risk legal exposure.]

• The "Real" Kelly Hartlage
  Aug 27, 2008 at 6:37 am

  Thank you Sean for handling this so promptly! I also appreciate your change as KH Poser for the person falsely using my name! Apparently they consider me a more credible, reputable source than their true self.

  For the person who thinks I am a very unhappy, miserable, unethical person…I wish you the best. I have always truly cared about my clients both past and present. I would not have chosen to help others meet their goals in weight loss to draw a paycheck. Anyone that knows the job will understand the emotions that you go through on a day with the clients. If I just wanted to draw a paycheck, well, you can do that a lot of places and not help others at the same time!

  To DV….keep on helping your clients and we both know prayers do work. Our problems may be great but our God is greater! Do what you can while you can and maybe the downsizing will help them to get more stable and then re-open centers at a later date????? Who knows??? All the best to you!

  Who knows what you can find out about yourself when you google your name….I suggest everyone do this in case someone is taking your name as someone did mine! The best to you all!

• sean
  Aug 27, 2008 at 6:50 am

  I care deeply about my members. I am hoping this is all going to work out and this can continue helping men and women change their lives.

  It is clear that a great many LA Weight Loss employees care about their customers. And on the practical side, you’ve got to make a living, feed your family, etc. so there’s a strong motivation to hope (or pray) for the best and keep selling.

  However, there are things that you can do to minimize the risk to your members, correct? For instance, you can urge them to pay with the Care Credit credit card and tell them that this gives them protection, that if for any reason they have a complaint they can charge it back.

  Isn’t that true? Aren’t those who pay cash or with a check running the most risk?

  And can’t managers discuss these closures internally, and ask ahead of time what the records handling procedures are in the event of a center closing, or other situation?

  Are there other things employees can do to feel like they are conducting themselves ethically and not putting their members at risk?

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