Grant Brothers Boxing & MMA Gym

I was a member for years at Grant Brothers and now Headrush. Now over the years I have been to other gyms across the city, but found the management horrible at Grant Brothers. I basically made arrangements to pay off the remained of $ 54 at the gym but the gym continues to charge my account under a different name into the following months. I only realized it later. They basically stole money from a member they knew and talked with regularly. I had to get a new bank account made and after confronting the head coach he said“well we can’t refund you, but we can give you the 3 months we owe you in trainning”.

Funny thing happened, I received the following message on my account from a suspicious «Max P.» who’s account was created it seems just for this one purpose as there is no activity since:
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«If you spent less time reviewing restaurants and hitting up the gym, you’d know that gyms are competitive, and they are not obliged to tell you their prices via an indirect form of communication such as an e-​mail or telephone. Gyms are competitive, and most offer discounts and other incentives that they will not write about on their website, and the only way to know if the gym is right for you is to go see it for yourself. You fat fucker. you just trashed a gym because they won’t take your „emails“ seriously. Get off your fat ass and go see the gym for yourself before you slander it. I am not a member of this gym, or even affiliated with it, but that doesn’t mean i haven’t been to other gyms and know the nature of the business.
wastoid. stick to reviewing chinese food.»
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If I had to guess, I’d say it’s obvious this person is affiliated with the gym’s management team and has probably heard the same complaint elsewhere… but, admittedly, that’s just conjecture.
Few days after this uncouth message, I received an email from Unilocal advising me «someone» brought to their attention that my review should be removed. My review was as follows:
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Removed Review: When this gym first opened in Toronto, I emailed the contact on the website and asked for a break down of the prices for membership.
He wrote back this sales pitch about the facilities and the instructors and blah, blah, blah… he discussed everything BUT the prices. After the long-​winded sales pitch, he asked me to come in and talk to him.
This turned me off greatly. I felt the way I do when dealing with car sales people who cannot — for some reason post their prices or answer question in a straight forward manner. If the management is going to conduct its business in this manner, I wondered how it would conduct itself with other facets of business… not to say this is how they are but I am simply saying this is how he came across. Yes, I could be wrong, but when you first meet someone, NOT answering their question certainly leaves a bad impression.
There are plenty of other gyms out there that deal with you in a respectful and direct and honest way: Toronto BJJ posts their prices; and Ascension BJJ emailed me back with a direct answer on its prices.
Something about this gym turns me off — yes, all because of the contact and his irrelevant email reply.
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The main decision for Unilocal in agreeing with Max P. in removing my review was that I didn’t actually attend the gym and it doesn’t accurately gauge the qualities of the instruction or facilities of the gym itself.
Fair enough. I can agree with that. So, here’s what I did. I went and tried out the gym. Yes, I did.
And here is my review:
1. Instructors/​Instruction — overall sound and competent. Better than Ultimate in Scarborough, but still a far cry from Ascension BJJ. ⁷⁄₁₀.
2. Facilities — pretty decent. Definitely competitive, I’d say to what’s out there. ⁸⁄₁₀.
3. Management and Business Relations — poor. It amazes me how poor front desk services are at this place. Dealing with the management was exactly as how I described in the first review. They want you to come in and see the facilities and tour the place… it was a frustrating and draining experience. I wanted to walk out. As Drity M wrote in his/​her filtered review about this place:
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Drifty M.
NORTH YORK, ON
7÷19÷2010
My experience has been really good with the instructors, but when it came to dealing with the person at the front desk it has been a nightmare. This person is totally unprofessional, I could never get a straight answer when it came to pricing and membership. Make sure you read everything you sign and that you keep a copy. I learned the wrong way. God thing the instructors are world class in their art.
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Summary:
A good gym isn’t solely about decent instructors. The gym’s business management team needs to show you and your money/​time the respect it deserves. This gym’s management lacks that respect. If you don’t care about potential headaches of having to swim with the sharks, go for it. The instruction is decent and the facilities are ample.