East Memphis Spa Leaves Customers Holding The Bag

Posted By Andy Wise (www.wreg.com)

East Memphis Spa Leaves Customers Holding The Bag
April 10, 2006 12:52 PM CDT


EAST MEMPHIS -- A health spa with a 19-year healthy reputation just died.

And its customers are the ones feeling the pain.

David Pryor lost his lease for A Touch of Health, 4726 Poplar Avenue #4, March 21. Records show his business was evicted for lack of payment. 3 On Your Side has received a half-dozen complaints from customers with gift certificates or appointments made as early as two weeks ago who showed up to find the spa gutted and abandoned.

"Here it is, almost two weeks later, and I didn't get a call that my appointment at 1:00 would not take place," says Elizabeth Raiteri of Cordova, who showed up for her appointment while a 3 On Your Side crew was shooting video of the abandoned spa.

"What happened was I lost my lease," says Pryor. "I lost my business. I've pretty much probably lost everything, and I'm scrambling to figure out what I'm going to do."

Shelby County court records show Pryor owes more than $7,000 in civil judgments to two corporations. A Touch of Health has been saddled with federal and state tax liens totaling more than $84,000 since 2002, according to records. The records also indicate he was still making appointments with customers, even for days beyond his eviction deadline.

A message Pryor has posted on the spa's web site says, "I have so many clients that are dear to my heart, and I feel an obligation to you all. Please know that as soon as time permits, I plan to re-open A Touch of Health (at a new location), and to any of you who are currently holding gift certificates or packages that have an expiration date, I certainly will gladly honor them."

"But, as you heard Mr. Pryor say, there is no money, and there is no business," says Kim McLeroy of Marion, Arkansas. She contacted 3 On Your Side after she tried to use a $100 gift certificate her husband bought her as a Christmas gift.

GET WISE "GOTTA KNOW" ABOUT HEALTH SPAS/GYM MEMBERSHIPS:

* Beware 1-Year FREE Membership Offers. Those are against the law in Tennessee because spas and gyms have so much turn-over, they often cannot honor those types of memberships.

* Beware Unlimited 1-Year Services. Bad sign for the same reason mentioned above.

* See It At The Time You Will Use It. Checking out a spa or gym at the time you plan on working out or using the services is a good way to gauge what the staff is like at that time and whether they provide the services you expect.

* Refuse Contracts Longer Than 1 Year. If a spa or gym is trying to pressure you into a multi-year contract, try this: tell the salesperson that the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act calls that a "deceptive trade practice," then negotiate either a renewable annual contract or a month-to-month.

* Ask About Cancellation/Refund Rights. In case you get sick or in case they go out of business, like A Touch of Health.

Watch this story as it unfolds on "Get Wise At 5" on News Channel 3 at 5:00.