Colonial Fitness and Sports Center in Sinking Spring welcomed guests for the last time Friday after 44 years in business.
Owner Albert Blough said the property has been sold to LCBC Church, a non-denominational Evangelical megachurch with more than 20 locations throughout Pennsylvania.
The organization has two other locations in Berks: One in Leesport, and a temporary “set up and take down” campus at Wilson West Middle School, 450 Faust Road, in Lower Heidelberg Township.
LCBC was slated to hold its first meeting at Wilson West on Nov. 12.
In a notice posted to its website, LCBC said it plans to hold gatherings at the school while the purchase and renovation of the 53,000-square-foot Colonial Fitness center takes place.
The notice says the organization plans to invest about $14.5 million to buy and renovate Colonial Fitness into a permanent LCBC location.
Colonial Fitness, at 172 Shillington Road, was the last business owned and operated by Blough, 87, who also formerly owned the adjacent Berks Lanes bowling alley, Hiester Lanes in Reading and Limerick Bowl in Limerick.
Blough opened Colonial Fitness as a racquetball club in 1979.
A bittersweet farewell
Blough said his company has until Jan. 31 to sell the fitness equipment and vacate the premises.
A before and after school program at the Colonial Fitness Sports Center will continue until the end of December, Blough said.
“I gave the parents 13 weeks’ notice, because it’s not always easy to find another place for after school,” Blough said. “Hopefully everyone will be able to find a place.”
Blough said he decided to pull the trigger on the sale because having a buyer capable of closing was a rare opportunity, one he felt he should take advantage of after 65 years of working.
He said his ability to manage Colonial Fitness has been complicated in recent years by medical struggles.
“In 2021 I got COVID and I was in the hospital for nine weeks,” Blough said. “I was really sick…there were times when my family didn’t think I was going to make it.”
Blough said finally selling Colonial Fitness was a bittersweet experience.
“It’s a big responsibility that’s been lifted…I’ve been so used to coming in all these years. I’ll miss my employees and my customers,” Blough said. “I have a lot of mixed feelings about it, but I’m happy to be alive and enjoy every day.”
In a Facebook post, Colonial Fitness thanked those who attended its member farewell open house on Wednesday.
“We had a great time reminiscing with our friends,” the post said.
Blough said more than 400 people came to the event.