Santa Barbara gym owner reacts to shutting down her business again

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Due to a drastic increase in COVID-19 cases throughout California, Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered fitness facilities to close in multiple areas, including Santa Barbara County, on Monday.  

For Core Sport owner Chanda Fetter, the decision to shut down gyms once again could have a devastating effect on her locally owned business. 

“To be shut down for three months with absolutely no income, be allowed to open at half capacity for a month and then be told to shut down again, it’s a recipe for disaster,” Fetter said.

About a month ago, she reopened the group fitness and workout studio in a newly renovated location at 3319 State Street within Loreto Plaza. 

“We made the choice to invest all our savings from the business to build this brand-new facility,” Fetter said.

Along with heavily investing in new equipment and creating safety procedures, she rehired her staff. 

Upon entry into the studio, customers had their temperatures taken before signing a COVID-19 liability waiver.

Core Sport was also one of the only reopened gyms in Santa Barbara requiring customers to wear masks, gloves and protective socks while working out.

“I felt totally safe here,” regular client Amy Pryor said. “I felt safer here than I do going to the grocery store.”

Less than a month into business getting back into the swing of things, COVID-19 cases continued to climb throughout California.

On Monday, Core Sport was shut down for the second time in four months.

“The numbers here in Santa Barbara, in this area, did not warrant closing it a second time,” Pryor said. "I feel like we’re being punished, for what’s going on in other areas of the county.”

With each closure, Fetter fears that she's losing customers.

“Every time I get to reopen, I have fewer people,” Fetter concluded. “People are afraid and they don’t trust the process.”

In attempt to survive this latest setback, Core Sport is offering virtual classes for the foreseeable future.