Affordable gym operator Blink Fitness has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and is closing all three of its Fort Worth-area locations:

• Far north Fort Worth – 7410 N Beach St.
• Keller – 3529 Heritage Trace Pkwy.
• North Richland Hills – 7901 Mid Cities Blvd.

Members were notified August 12 in a letter from Blink Fitness CEO Guy Harkless that the gyms will close permanently, and memberships will be canceled, on Friday, August 30. Notices on the gyms’ websites confirm the August 30 closure date.

According to the Associated Press, Blink, an Equinox-owned chain with more than 100 U.S. locations, says it is filing for bankruptcy to help facilitate a sale of the business.

New York-based Blink has locations in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Illinois, California, and Texas. While the company says it will keep most of its gyms open throughout the process, the Tarrant County locations are among the 10 percent of “underperforming” locations that will be closed, they say.

Blink, which describes itself as "an inclusive, affordable gym that values mood above muscle," acquired several former Fitness 2000 gyms in Tarrant County in January 2020, with plans to further expand around DFW.

“A growing and diverse population brought us to DFW,” then-Blink CEO Todd Magazine said at the time. "We are thrilled to be bringing our affordable, inclusive approach to health and wellness to communities throughout DFW.”

Shortly after the DFW gyms opened, however, they closed amid the Covid-19 pandemic. While membership fees remained low (starting around $15 per month) once they reopened, hours were cut and attendance dropped noticeably.

In its Chapter 11 petition, filed in Delaware bankruptcy court, the company states it has about $280 million in debt and blames its bankruptcy, in part, on the long-term effects of the pandemic, AP reports.

Harkless says in a statement that Blink's leadership determined that using a court-supervised process to facilitate a sale “is the best path forward for Blink and will help ensure Blink remains the destination for all people seeking an inclusive, community-focused gym,” AP reports.

Fort Worth-area Blink members who’ve lost their gym do not need to take any action, the company says.

All memberships - including personal training contracts and towel agreements - will be automatically canceled on August 30. Memberships that have been paid in full will be refunded a prorated amount from August 30 through the end of the agreement, they say. Any personal training sessions not used prior to August 30 also will be refunded.

Questions and concerns can be directed to Blink’s Customer Care Team, 800-256-1953 or Blinkms@blinkfitness.com.