Pure Weight Loss News and Gossip.

I hear all the LAWL in TN are closing. They are owned by 2 groups...one is owned by a group out of Nashville...They have closed 27 locations since Feb 1st.....The Memphis centers are managed by corporate now, but everyone says the entire franchise company is going under. If it goes under, there won't be any centers period.

Do you know Jamie at the Germantown Center or do you go to the Bartlett Center?

Looks like the end of the dynasty.

no i go to a small center inbetween memphis and nashville what makes u think all these are closing

My friend is an Area Manager for them. If you go to the one in Jackson (just speculating) that is a different owner than the one in Memphis. The one's in Memphis were franchised, then the franchisee went bankrupt and now managed by corporate LAWL. They asked all the employees to take a pay cut---they make like 8 bucks and hour---got rid of all the center managers and just have assistant managers. Similiar to what went on at PURE be4 they closed. My friend who is an Area Manager says that everyone is betting on 90 days before all of them are gone. Too much bad press on 20/20 then all the PURE centers closing.
If you google LA on any search engine, you get tons of bad press. Today's consumers are savvy. They research before they buy.

My friend that is an area manager said they used to could easily get $700-2000 for a program enrollment fee. Now, they are lucky to get 300 bucks. That is a big loss of revenue.

Now in Memphis Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers and Diet Center are the big deals here. They advertise a lot and seem to be very successful.

how could they be corp centers there is no more corp from what i understand...what area does your friend manage

Corporate for the franchises is out of Pa also. I don't know how the franchises work but apparently if they go out of business or the owners can't keep them up, corporate takes them back then they can sell the franchises again (in that same area) to someone else. The corporation is owned by Harold Katz. Between bad press and PURE going out of business and leaving everyone high and dry - it has to be taking its toll in their business. Then again, if people don't google to look up the company, I wonder if the bad press from PURE was broadcast in those areas where the franchises are. It was my understanding that most of Pure's centers were in the Northeast.

My friend worked in TN and Kentucky.....I talked to her again last night..She is getting her resume out..She said there is no way the franchise centers will survive. She said overall they have closed about 100 centers that were franchised in the last couple months. In fact, the one in Antioch, TN which is just right outside of Nashville just closed a couple weeks ago. I would talk to your local center and see if you can get a refund. There is no way they will be open for a year to offer you service.

Tyler None in Tennessee said: My friend worked in TN and Kentucky.....I talked to her again last night..She is getting her resume out..She said there is no way the franchise centers will survive. She said overall they have closed about 100 centers that were franchised in the last couple months. In fact, the one in Antioch, TN which is just right outside of Nashville just closed a couple weeks ago. I would talk to your local center and see if you can get a refund. There is no way they will be open for a year to offer you service.

is there any way you can find out who owns her store and what center does she work in

Her stores used to be franchise owned. Due to financial problems, the centers were taken back over by the corporate side....she is over multiple units, so not tied down to one particular location. She said the Memphis market had tanked. She said centers that were doing 20K per week were now doing closer to 3-5K per week in sales due to all the bad press. She said only lower income people were coming in now because they didnt research LAWL before joining. She said the bulk of their business was now Care Credit.

Tyler None in Tennessee said: Her stores used to be franchise owned. Due to financial problems, the centers were taken back over by the corporate side....she is over multiple units, so not tied down to one particular location. She said the Memphis market had tanked. She said centers that were doing 20K per week were now doing closer to 3-5K per week in sales due to all the bad press. She said only lower income people were coming in now because they didnt research LAWL before joining. She said the bulk of their business was now Care Credit.

does she know if kay and barry owned her centers..what part of tn and ky is she over..when looking on here at jobs there seems to be alot posted for la weight loss maybe they are making a come back

No...she is not with Kay, Barry and Faye. They are a group out of Brentwood, TN. They owned about 140 centers, but are down to about 30 now. They have some in Nashville, Jackson, TN, Bowling Green, KY, and they had locations down in Florida (they have closed all their Florida Locations last month in Ft Meyers, Naples, etc)...A girl I know was a trainer for Barry's group and she said that they are closing down most of their markets except for a few that were still profitable.

My friend worked for a group named Neil Smith that was out of Birmingham. He too went Bankrupt. Now the centers she works for have been taken over by LAWL Franchise Companies which is the parent company.

I hope they are open a year to support you, but I would not count on it.

is your friend still a trainer for barry and kays centers

Nope...they had major cutbacks within their organization. She is still in contact with people that work there though.

Did you work for Barry and Kay or what is your affiliation with them?

Tyler None in Tennessee said: Her stores used to be franchise owned. Due to financial problems, the centers were taken back over by the corporate side....she is over multiple units, so not tied down to one particular location. She said the Memphis market had tanked. She said centers that were doing 20K per week were now doing closer to 3-5K per week in sales due to all the bad press. She said only lower income people were coming in now because they didnt research LAWL before joining. She said the bulk of their business was now Care Credit.

u would think Care credit would stop doing business with them since they are losing a lot of money too

I agree about your Care Credit Comment. I guess they make so much in finance charges and late payments that it really washes or they make even more money.

Hi I have currently started back on this way of eating, now I am
5'5" tall and weigh in at 182.5 should I follow the purple plan
with lites or follow my purple plan without lites ? I originally
started with purple & lites....Thanks Pat

Listen everyone, there is no magic to all of this. La/Pure was a company that had a reasonable plan with not so reasonable prices. They went belly up not because it didnt work but because those at the top got greedy and took advantage of their staff,who were great and their clients.
Dont let them keep taking advantage to you. Any diet works if you do it. Go on a low calorie diet, eat lots of fresh foods,vegetables,protein ,low fat and low carb. Stick with good carbs whole grains and mainly cut the sugar. The reason the Lites were so good is that they had sugarin them and so they kept you hooked. Forget bars. Eat fruit or cheese instead. Write everything down, and star moving. Get exercise! You will be successful and you will feel better.
Girl in Tn. get your money back!

Trisha let me share with you what I am doing and what has been working for me. I never ate the bars because I can't eat soy, nuts, eggs. Now that Pure closed I was faced with having to follow this by myself. I have had some difficulty over the past few months staying on the plan. I am the type of person who needs to get on the scale every week with someone there to hold me accountable. Not proud of it but for some reason I need that. Anyway I joined Weight Watchers BUT I am following my Pure "red" plan. I weigh in every week and attend the meetings but do not follow the Weight Watchers plan!! LOL I don't follow Weight Watchers because I found the weight loss to be very slow. I also do cardio 4-5 days a week for 50 min each day (which I have always done). Anyway its all working great for me. I am losing between 2 - 3 lbs per week. When I tried to do it at home all alone I would cheat here and there as no one was monitoring me to see if I lost. I don't know if any of you are like me and need that accountability every week but going to the WW meetings and weighing in every week made all of the difference in the world for me. Its pretty funny because everyone in the WW meeting wants to know what I am doing because I am losing twice as much as most of them!!!! Well, I'm not telling my secret. PURE is a fabulous and healthy plan - I think its the best one out there. You don't need the bars just eat an extra piece of fruit and an extra starch. When I have an craving I eat a Skinny Cow fudge pop or sugar free Jello with a little Cool Whip and bananas. Of course when I eat the Skinny Cow I eliminate a starch and I only do it a max of three times a week. The weight is falling off!! Hope this helps.

went to my center for a weigh in and they had a sign up stating u can only take 2 boxes of bars with u per week something about keeping inventory fresh and available to every one!!!!!any comments

I found this blog on the internet concerning LA Weight Loss Franchise: One of their employees (didn't say which center) wrote this:

"As a current employee of LA Weight Loss Franchise Company, I feel it is my duty to warn consumers that you absolutely DO NOT want to waste your money because the company will be CLOSING it DOORS!! As of Friday, we were told, like the employees of Pure Weight Loss, that the company is having financial trouble and will be restructuring. I was one of the lucky ones who did not yet lose their job. They have closed many franchises and will continue to close them. If Harold Kartz (the owner) shuts down, then the franchise owners will have no support or supplies to offer their clients. You do the math. it is so sad that I have worked for this company for 6 years, to see how things have transpired makes me sick. Due to the lack of empathy that this company shows its employees and clients, I cannot continue to be part of it and will be submitting my resignation tomorrow. I just wanted everyone to beware before spending your money on their program. This company is CLOSING its doors soon."
GUESS THAT ABOUT SAYS IT ALL. DEMAND YOUR BARS AND GET OUT.

They did that at the center I was going to just before they closed their doors. Have the hours at the center changed at all. How about the number of employees - have you noticed a change?

Sounds like the beginning of the end. This happened to us in PA before Pure closed.

I was a manager and they started that with us. Only give out 2 boxes. Our shippment of bars was a hit or miss thing. Its the start of closing...Be warned.....

Bellasmommy get all your bars today and dont take no for an answer. One day you will get there and they will be gone. And dont believe for one minute you will get a refund. How much do they owe you in Lites? Get them all.

A Client in Upstate New York in Carmel, New York said: Trisha let me share with you what I am doing and what has been working for me. I never ate the bars because I can't eat soy, nuts, eggs. Now that Pure closed I was faced with having to follow this by myself. Watchers because I found the weight loss to be very slow. I also do cardio 4-5 days a week for 50 min each day (which I have always done). Anyway its all working great for me. I am losing between 2 - 3 lbs per week. When I tried to do it at home all alone I would cheat here and there as no one was monitoring me to see if I lost. I don't know if any of you are like me and need that accountability every week but going to the WW meetings and weighing in every week made all of the difference in the world for me. Its pretty funny because everyone in the WW meeting wants to know what I am doing because I am losing twice as much as most of them!!!! Well, I'm not telling my secret. PURE is a fabulous and healthy plan - I think its the best one out there. You don't need the bars just eat an extra piece of fruit and an extra starch. When I have an craving I eat a Skinny Cow fudge pop or sugar free Jello with a little Cool Whip and bananas. Of course when I eat the Skinny Cow I eliminate a starch and I only do it a max of three times a week. The weight is falling off!! Hope this helps.

I am thinking about joining WEIGHT WATCHERS...Have you tried the online resources? Find it is worth it? I am not sure I want to put out the bucks for a program that I am sure is a repeat of all others...I value your opinion and insight.

I tied the WW online resources about a year or two ago but as I said, going in person is better for me. Believe me, since Pure closed I looked into everything out there. They all had their gimmicks such as you had to buy their supplements, their foods, no carbs in the first phase etc. I believe the best plans out there are WW and Pure. When I joined Pure my neighbor joined WW. You should have seen the difference in weight loss. I was down two sizes in clothing while she was just beginning to fit into her tight clothes. When we started we were the exact same height and weight. I have a difficult time losing and Pure was one of the only plans that worked for me. I understand how you feel about spending the extra bucks I wasn't thrilled about paying $39 a month but its working out for me. Why don't you just give the online WW a try as you can cancel any time. If it doesn't work out then maybe you should think about joining. Again, the only reason the WW online didn't work for me is because I need the accountability that the in-person weigh-ins and group meetings provide.

Well-

News is buzzing around here that the Franchised LA Weight Loss are closing. They are not making their numbers even though they have bumped up advertising efforts. Many of the franchised centers in TN, MS, and KY have reduced their hours. They are not open on Thursdays and only 1/2 day on Tuesdays now.

Closings are coming! Be warned.

Tyler None in Tennessee said: Well-

News is buzzing around here that the Franchised LA Weight Loss are closing. They are not making their numbers even though they have bumped up advertising efforts. Many of the franchised centers in TN, MS, and KY have reduced their hours. They are not open on Thursdays and only 1/2 day on Tuesdays now.

Closings are coming! Be warned.

my center is still open m-f but not many employees there only 1-2 and they have been there for a long time..where are you getting that info from...i am worried ihave 20 boxes there and the girls i do see just say its because they want everybody to be able to get what they want..thats why only picking up 2 per week they say nothing to worry about...they asked me to start coming in 2 times per week would like 3 they say....i cant afford to go 3 times per week it cost me so much i always end up spending money

Tyler None in Tennessee said: Did you work for Barry and Kay or what is your affiliation with them?

I USED TO HAVE A FRIEND THAT WORKED AT LA BUT SHE QUIT TO GO TO NURSING SCHOOL AND SHE TOLD ME WHO OWNED THAT CENTER...YOU SEEM TO KNOW ALOT OF PEOPLE TALKED TO HER THE OTHER NIGHT AND SHE SAID HER TRAINER WAS A LADY NAMED AMY

bellasmommy in memphis, Tennessee said: my center is still open m-f but not many employees there only 1-2 and they have been there for a long time..where are you getting that info from...i am worried ihave 20 boxes there and the girls i do see just say its because they want everybody to be able to get what they want..thats why only picking up 2 per week they say nothing to worry about...they asked me to start coming in 2 times per week would like 3 they say....i cant afford to go 3 times per week it cost me so much i always end up spending money

Bella... from me to you! I watched Pure Weight Loss go under. I was told that eventually these franchises would go under, too. See, they use the same suppliers as did Pure Weight Loss. Now, don't know all of the logistics, but the way I understood it the suppliers were going to eventually cut the franchises off, too!

You go into your center with all your mightiness and demand all of your boxes. You even take the less desirable ones if need be. Those girls don't know what's going on. They are just doing what they are told.

If you don't, my dear, I am afraid you'll go there one day and they will inform you the doors are closing (or they will be closed) and that they are going to try to get you what you paid for.

You bought them and I suggest you go and get them!!

Also, just for fun... ask, ahead of schedule, for your stabilization and maintenance guides. They may not want to give them, but I am sure you know one of them on a personal basis... just say you are interested in how the program gets finished up.

YOu will thank me later!! Have a goodnight!

Client in Upstate New York:

Interesting quote from the employee of LAWL Franchise Companies.

I have heard no one is there answering the phones...That staff is very sparse at Horsham.

Where did you find this quote and how recent was it??

The quote came from a LAWL Franchise employee who posted it on "Diets In Review". Another piece of information that I found out from a very good source is that the Owner's son- in- law owned many of the franchises in the west and even "he" sold them back to the corporation. I don't know much about the franchise business but I have a relative who became very wealthy in the franchises business with Dunken Donuts. I asked him why would someone sell/give their franchises back to the company and my cousin told me that it was a very bad sign pertaining to financial troubles.

Bella, please take Heartbroken's advice and get you lites NOW. You have paid for them and they have no legal right to withhold them from you. They are just making excuses. Make up any story you want to get them, tell them they have one week to make arrangements to get them - anything - or ask to speak directly with the an area manager. Call your state Attorney General's office and ask what your rights are and if its legal that they withhold them from you. If the area manager gives your a load of crap then tell her you did your homework and know what you are entitled to. In my area before Pure announced it was going out of business - SUDDENLY four centers in my area closed - no notice nothing. I went there and they were closed. There was only one open and it was 1 1/2 hours away. They told me the company was reorganizing and aligning themselves with their competitors!!!! No one got their lites - they were out of them and cut off by the suppliers. Don't be fooled by them as they will not tell you the truth.

Bellas raise holy heck! tell them to give you your lites and dont take no for an answer. I closed my center and it was first come first serve. When they are gone there will be no more! They will just promise things and not deliver. It is not the counselors fault, they are just doing what they are told but in the end the squeeky wheel will get the grease. Good Luck!

Tyler None in Tennessee said: Well-

News is buzzing around here that the Franchised LA Weight Loss are closing. They are not making their numbers even though they have bumped up advertising efforts. Many of the franchised centers in TN, MS, and KY have reduced their hours. They are not open on Thursdays and only 1/2 day on Tuesdays now.

Closings are coming! Be warned.

wow you know alot went to my center today and they had a sign up closed on thurs and open tues by apt only....what why do you know any more

I dont know a lot more other than they are having a lot of problems in Horsham where the corporate offices from LAWL franchise is located. They have been laying people off there and now the centers are starting their "closure"

oh my do you know if any havve closed yet

Tyler None in Tennessee said: Well-

News is buzzing around here that the Franchised LA Weight Loss are closing. They are not making their numbers even though they have bumped up advertising efforts. Many of the franchised centers in TN, MS, and KY have reduced their hours. They are not open on Thursdays and only 1/2 day on Tuesdays now.

Closings are coming! Be warned.

I am a former manager with LAWL. Trust in what Tyler None says . This does look like the begining of the end. It is exactly what happened at the center I ran. Shorter hours, reduced staff, low stock. SOOOO many of my clients NEVER received the product owed to them. If you paid for the product you have the right to take it. Just be nice to the staff, it's not there fault, they are just trying to hold on to pay their bills and feed their kids until they can find another job . There stress level is incredible , they have a good guess whats going on and keep hoping they won't bite the dust . I know I tryed to hold out hope and believe it would all be OK but alas , the writing was on the wall and it is on the wall again at the centers Tyler speaks about.

Ok- First the Centers here in Memphis were closing on Thursdays.....

Now they are closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays---

Sounds like the handwriting is on the wall for LAWL.

For anyone reading this blog.. please believe me when I tell you... GET YOUR PRODUCT NOW!!

Demand every box they owe you! If they say No, speak with an area supervisor or someone. The doors will completely close at one point and everyone will be SOL. If they tell you they will get more shipments, AH AH.. that's what they're being told. Believe me when I tell you I was unable to fill 1/10th of my orders in the end!!! So take whatever they have and try not to be picky, because it sure sounds like it is the beginning of the end!!

are you in the memphis area i am sure u have figured out i go to the jackson store do u work for la....will you keep me posted...please i trust you because everything you have said i know first hand is true

Hi Bella-

Yes, I am in Memphis.... One of my friends is on LAWL and I told you about my friend that is an Area Manager for them. My friend says they are trying to keep everything from the staff--because they dont want everyone to quit, but that they will be closing the majority of the centers in the next 30 days.

Think about it...Spring is when everyone want to lose weight...vacations, spring break, to be active....what sense would it make to reduce your hours for spring?? Christmas time, I could see them doing that, because no one diets during the holidays--but spring??

Yes, the center in Jackson is owned by Barry and Kay. Does the center seem very busy when you are there? How many people do they have working? How does the inventory look?

I would suggest just feeling out your counselor and tell them that you think it is odd they have cut the hours right after you enrolled.

I think it is very sad that this is happening. I am sure it is a great program, but you can't treat customers the way they have and have longevity.

They seem to be down to the manager asst and looks like one part time cause i only see her sats the inventory is full don't seem to b having a problem there and they gave me a new diary and it was in color like the old ones ie its not a copy and also a new menu plan they said so sorry took a little time to get in...do you think its the corp franchises that could be closing and not barry's centers looks like they are really trying...

Its the truth. That is what happened to all the centers in Michigan. Cutting hours from employees, inventory, hours from the stores....It just gets worse...

Vahan's bankruptcy hearing was today in Philadelphia - did anyone attend the hearing? Wonder what happens next?

Bella, right before the centers closed in my area the diary they were giving out was still in color. The thing is if the Corporation closes then the privately owned franchises will go out of business too. Where are they going to get their support if the corporation is closed? Remember what I told you; the OWNER's son-in-law gave/sold all of his back to the corporation. If he was making money, he wouldn't have done that. Well, we have all warned you but its up to you to decide what course of action to take. Good luck.

Just checking in...haven't been here in a while. Just sitting here waiting for something to happen. Yeah any news on Vahn's hearing?

Pure Weight Loss & sole owner Vahan Karian go to Bankruptcy Court this morning. There will be a “Meeting of Creditors” at 10 am, March 14th at the William J. Green Federal Building in Philadelphia

Check out this story on Pure Weight Loss and the lavish lifestyle of Vahan Karian from CT station NBC30

NBC 30 visited the address [of Pure Weight Loss HQ] in Horsham, Pa.

Nobody was there when NBC 30 visited, but there were signs that an auction company was about to sell the remaining furnishings.

Under state laws in Pennsylvania and Connecticut, a company’s top executives — not just the company — could be held responsible for failing to pay an employee.

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said these employees deserve to have someone held accountable. “We’re going to hold accountable the individual, if there were violations logged, not just the company which may be without assets, but also individuals who have participated in any illegalities,” he said.

NBC 30 then drove to the home of Vahan Karian, the president and sole owner of Pure Weight Loss.

No one came to the door of the home, which is estimated at almost $1 million in value, with an enclosed pool connected to the back.

He and his wife allegedly also own three south Florida beach-front condominiums — One he bought for $2.3 million three years ago and another he bought just over a year ago for almost $2.6 million.

NBC 30 discovered financial filings that put Karian first in line to be paid in bankruptcy court, saying in part he loaned the company a quarter-million dollars in its final days.

In that paperwork, it appears he signed for both himself and the company.

That is all legal, but the timing is under investigation by the attorney general in Pennsylvania. Pure Weight Loss branches closed by Jan. 4. The transaction appears to have taken place three days later and a few days after that, Pure Weight Loss filed for bankruptcy.

More News on the LA Weight Loss Closings....Check out this video- It specifically addresses the "New Spring Hours" strategy as being part of LA Weight Loss Closing Strategy to close centers nationwide.

abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/local&id=6022919

Tyler I can't get on to that. Can you tell us what it said or provide us with a working link.

It says that the Fresno Stores in California are all closing. They are owned by the Franchise Companies. That all LA WL will soon be closing. The "New Spring Hours" they are doing is stage 1 of the center closings.

Try and copy the link and paste it in your browser...Should work for ya.<