Livingwell Lady To Close Wash. Locations

LivingWell Lady Fitness Centers will close all 11 of its Washington locations July 21, company officials said.

They had no comment on the health-club closings.

The health club has been plagued with legal problems in the past few years, and it agreed a year ago to compensate customers who had filed complaints with the state.

After being sued by the attorney general of Washington state, LivingWell Lady in 1995 agreed to stop using questionable sales tactics and pay restitution to customers, according to the attorney general's office.

Four Corners Health Clubs Inc., which owns LivingWell Lady, voluntarily paid $72,000 in compensation to customers.

It also agreed to pay $90,000 in civil penalties and $25,000 in attorney costs and fees and to mediate any additional consumer complaints filed soon after the agreement.

LivingWell Lady agreed to compensate customers who complained that it used high-pressure sales tactics and bait-and-switch advertising; failed to deliver promised instructors, services and facilities; failed to cancel memberships when requested; and used unfair and deceptive billing and collection practices.

LivingWell Lady filed for bankruptcy protection in 1989, according to the Better Business Bureau.

The state attorney general has filed dozens of lawsuits against health clubs in Washington state in the past decade.

LivingWell Lady is owned by the Washington-state-based company Four Corners Health Clubs Inc., which also owns Four Corners Health Clubs in Delaware and Paramount Acceptance Corp. of Ohio, according to the Better Business Bureau.

LivingWell Lady owns 42 other fitness centers across the country, company officials said.