Reviews of FFC Oak Park (Gym)

Kenneth Holliday

She ————-Amazing the part part my evening and she’s FINE Too

marta cholewska

One of the employee was so rude, He said if our gym is to expensive for you you shouldn't live in Oak Park! Horrible place, pool was so dirty... don't go there

Clara Williams

Having dinner with my hubby tonight enjoying our time together. Thank you, husband did not have to food.

Rebecca Scott

Great Gym! They offer a variety of equipment and the staff is very friendly. The gym is always clean and amenities are nice. Members seem serious about working out and do their own thing. I’ve encountered little to no creepers (unlike LA Fitness members

lyoelin

After I terminated my membership, these guys continued to charge me $120 a month! They don't care about their members. Way overcrowded.

tamim eddeeb

Worst customer service ever. Highly not recommend

Navin Emmadi

Strengths: Good location Appealing aesthetics Hip/Trendy Weakness: Hidden Fees ($120 in November 2013 to most members) High monthly dues Horrible customer service Low ethical standards Overall FFC Oak Park is the popular/hip gym in Oak Park and located in downtown Oak Park. That is where their strengths end. My contract stated that FFC has the right to charge any fee at any time after the initial period. With the initial period being one month. In September 2013 I received a notice stating that FFC is charging me an additional $120 in November 2013. This fee would be almost twice my monthly dues (requiring me to pay almost 3-months dues in November). I would be required to pay $185 for my individual monthly gym membership in November (with access to only Oak Park's location). This is a shock especially since I just joined FFC within the past year. I attempted to request why I was being assessed the November fee. I was told that it was like a condo association fee (I didn't really understand that explanation), was given a copy of my contract with a phrase stating that FFC could charge anything they wanted after the initial period of my contract. I asked to know when my initial period ends or ended and was told that I needed to consult an attorney. Needless to say I cancelled my membership immediately to avoid paying the fee.

Brandon Pham

------Gym Quality Overview A crowded gym with some exceptional amenities. You would expect the premium price would drive the gym to be less crowded but its' quite the opposite. Due to this, you are face with partitioning time in this gym. You have two hours to complete your workout routine which can be quite difficult if you are waiting for highly contested equipment such as a squat rack. This is only prevalent on the weekdays usually in the 4pm-7pm range. Again, I stress you partition your schedule for an early bird or night owl schedule during the weekday. Especially, if you would like to fit your workout routine in a 2 hour interval. The weekends are usually not crowded and all routines can be finished in a timely manner (Splits or Full body, Volume/Intensity of routine does not matter) If you do any sporting activities, they can add substantial value on your overall experience at this gym. I mean they have a rock climbing wall, basketball court, and a lap pool. Given the amount of space, It's quite a feat they fit this all in this gym. -------Staff A very weird pre-sale experience but expected from any gym I have gone through. The team overall were extremely friendly and I have never been harassed by any staff member. -----Cost Please understand this gym has a huge underlying cost. I use this as a motivating factor when I am doing a 1RM on my heavy days. If you sign up during the special event, DO EVERYTHING IN THE FINE PRINT. That means get a trainer (Shoutout to Justin) and go 36 of the 90 days. After that, you will enjoy the experience much more knowing you can use the enrollment fee as leverage for anything within the confines of their establishment. ---Final Thoughts You need to understand that this gym is an expensive endeavor. I would never recommend this gym to anyone that would only use 50% or less of the establishment and have gym commitment issues. Otherwise, the gym is great for fitness enthusiast. 4/5 Stars given the constraints of the gym.

Damian Fidowski

Keep raising prices, i just got another notice in the mail. First they raised kids club now the raised membership. I will be paying $160 for two people which is completely insane plus $35 for kids club. The oak park location has old equipment that is never clean its always sticky and never properly maintained. Time to look for other options. Before you join make sure you are ok spending that kind of money for a mediocre gym. The only positive thing I can say is that it is usually not too crowded (hmmm wonder why??) They keep telling us about improvements... just because you stick new tile on top of old tile does not merit an increase in membership. Maybe get a new tanning bed instead of the 1985 spaceship you have. I pay for a separate tanning membership at xsport just because the tanning equipment at FFC is so outdated. Money hungry pit.

Tom West

We've been members since moving to Oak Park 2 years ago! We love FFC, it's clean, everyone working there is always cheerful, friendly and helpful! The guest fee is way too high $20... but I guess that keeps the crowd down :)

Marty Vernon

The gym is a nice facility, but I'm not a fan of how they treat business accounts. I had a negative experience with DJ who handles their billing. I reached out to cancel the accounts for each of our employees after we moved office locations, but they failed to highlight that each employee needs to cancel each account separately. Despite the fact that I mentioned that I had setup an employee at the gym. The answer I was given by the rep I spoke with at the time of cancellation was "no this will cancel all related accounts." Three months later they continued to bill me for a gym membership that my employee was not using and they refuse to refund the charges. I would recommend considering a gym with a more accountable/ethical management team.

Cesar Garcia

This Gym is great if you go early its not packed, they have everything you need to get a good pump, they always have a room available where u could even us to do your own thing like circuits always clean nice and overall for a gym its better then all the rest.

Yana Veres

The best gym in Oak Park... Try ...!!!

Keith Fuller

I've been trying to get into the habit of working out since middle school and I haven't been able to develop a consistent and effective routine until these last two months (and I'm 48 now) since I joined FFC Oak Park. Granted, I don't necessarily need *this* gym to stay in shape, but the convenience it provides has been a critical differentiator for me. And I finally had to admit I need help staying on track. The trainers, the staff, and the other members are also indispensable to my staying focused. I came in on Independence Day 2014 and the place was packed. Daily, I see old, young, fat, skinny, injured, disabled, all going at it. Yup, it's pricey, and possibly near the upper end of what I'm willing to pay. But I get the sense that they're responsive to customers. They make mistakes, like everyone, but I trust that the high fees translate into a greater willingness of the owners' and managers' to adjust and improve whenever possible.

Carla Nieto

I joined the gym in June. I have been hesitant to join for over a year due to the insane amount of money for the initiation fee - which I was told was used for maintenance etc. Thus far - only 4 months into the enrollment - I am not impressed with the atmosphere for the amount of money I paid for initiation as well as the monthly fee I pay for a family. Let's start with the amount of equipment that seems to be out of working order. Then there is the empty cooler in the cafe area that is just sitting there with absolutely nothing in it. It gives an appearance of a place going out of business. The entire gym looks a bit tired in it's decor and the locker rooms are not as clean as one would expect. In addition to this - there are some rude staff members. Our first family day we were a bit late in leaving the facility. The kids were done and waiting with my husband in the cafe area - a staff member rudely told him that family day was over. It was only 10 minutes after 5. What I think is great about the gym - most staff members are helpful - there are folks that remember your name and help you out. The trainers are great. I just think that we should see some benefits from the amount of $$ we pay for initiation. In response to Ann S. that was complaining about family days and swim time and your vulgar description of children - we pay enough for kids to go to the gym - so get over it. Our family also had a membership at the Y when they were younger - we had it for many years so not afraid of "poor" as you describe. And I think if you knew who the members were at the Y then you would know that there are many people of different socioeconomic status that belong to the Y. You're ridiculous! If you don't like kids - and you obviously knew that was part of the gym memberships at FFC (allowing kids on certain days) then you should have joined elsewhere! Don't let the door hit you in your dumb- arse!

Danny Fiorito

Great club

Neil Anderson

Stopped by and I was pleasantly surprised by the great staff, and swimming pool. They have ample lounge space to unwind in after a good workout on the third floor spa and it seems that the kitchen has some new talent, haha

David C

Awesome gym! Easy going, large selection of equipment, friendly staff and clean facility. After trying several gyms that did not suit my needs, I stumbled upon FFC and I found a gym I like.

Scott DeSalvo

Very expensive club. The physical facilities are very nice. The ONLY reason I belong is that its close. If there were another even semi-comparable place nearby, I'd leave this place. I had my locker broken into. I had about $200 in cash stolen. It took me a week of trying to track someone responsible down. Every time I went there, it was "well, he's not here right now..." Finally, I met with the creepy looking manager. There is something subtly "wrong" about this guy.. "Well, that's really too bad, but there's nothing we can do for you. There's no proof." This, despite I show him my police report, and he CONFIRMS the locker's lock was physically broken into. Not a free massage, not a free month, not a refund, not even much sympathy. Nothing but a "I dont really care" non-apology. The personal trainers park themselves and their clients on equipment and get very little done. True story: I get to the club and a white male trainer and white male client are using the power rack/squat rack. I do not interrupt. I wait more than 10 minutes. In those 10 minutes, I kid you not, the client does 2 sets of an exercise which does not require the equipment. They walk away from the equipment for probably 3 or 4 minutes, nowhere to be seen. Without breaking down their barbell, I set up a barbell for squats. After I do my first set, the trainer confronts me. Not asks a question: CONFRONTS. I am not doing into details, but I was nice about it, and he was a total jerk. The trainers think they own the place. The basketball court draws a bunch of young guys who mostly want to hang around, and creates a sort of strange dynamic in what purports to be an upscale club. I wonder how these young guys afford the initiation fee I had to pay, and the high monthly charges. Super crowded from maybe 4:30 til maybe 8 pm, so working "off hours" is your best bet. You get a free workout towel and that is about the only extra. But they put TOO MUCH bleach in the wash water. If you have sensitive skin, do not wipe your sweaty face with one, or you'll get skin irritation. Its a pretty gym. They charge a lot. They should be more focused on making their customers happy.

Tim Kreidler

This place sucks. Simply to many members, not enough space.

Tracy Williams

If I could give it less I would. Management at this location is horrible. I had issues with then overcharging me that didnt get resolved until I contacted the BBB. It's really to bad since it would be a great location for me.

Latifah B.

Went to this lovely place a year ago, the workers are kind of rude..

Kayla Richardson

I joined about two weeks ago and am so annoyed I didn’t join sooner!! I have been a member of multiple gyms and classes before but nothing compares to this place. It literally has everything from lifting equipment to a full court to pool and cardio equipment. I could not believe that with my membership (I have the very lowest tier), I gained unlimited access to this gym, all of the equipment, classes, pool, sauna, whirlpool and more. Now if you need to use more than one location you can upgrade your membership and some memberships also include things like laundry service and massages. There is a spa, cafe, and store if you want/need these things additionally and I love buying a smoothie after my morning workouts. I also used my three personal training classes and had an awesome time with Jacob! He was super knowledgeable and showed me new equipment and exercises to break up my lifting routine. I love coming here and highly recommend. As a plus - my membership with all of this is CHEAPER than my orange theory membership (again had the lowest price for them) AND my friends membership at a local YMCA.

Russ G

It's not very kid friendly in my opinion. Kids hours are only from 1-5 Saturday and Sunday, which gives them access to climbing wall(which is great) and pool. But the gym is still open to 250 lbs guys trying to rain three pointers from half court during this time, so pretty scary for 32 lbs 4 year old.....The kids have no access to pool or climbing way at any other time. I think they think this is some hip singles place, but the reality is that your in middle of family friendly oak park/river forest. If I were FFC I would provide winter play hours with more availability to swimming pool and gym two to three nights week before you call this place kids friendly....My gym in Lincoln park...Lakeshore Athletic you could almost always take your kid swimming...here you get 8 hours a week....god forbid you miss those or you get nothing.....Poor insight from the management on this one.

Yeni P.

This is a very nice gym that has all the traits a perfect gym has. It is pretty pricey especially if you have a whole family that wants a membership. You can either use your ffc card or the app were they just scan the barcode. The changing rooms are really nice and clean and the staff are really nice. They have 8 showers and lockers were you put your own code in. The pool is nice and clean and not that busy on days other then the weekend. The café food is tasty and totally healthy for you! The café staff isn't as nice as the janitor staff though. Free fitness classes you can simply join :) I totally recommend it

Heather Holland

The energy here is awesome, all the instructor are so fun and full of energy. The facility is clean, all the equipment works

minya markus

Not a fan of FFC, especially after the LifeTime Fitness, but it is the only one in the area. Kitchen exhaust next door kills you in the lobby. Upstairs loud ventilation is overpowering the music, and giving me the headache. Again, not too many options in the area unfortunately.

Hannah Campbell

I have a lot to say about this gym. The good: The amenities here are excellent! Anything you can think of needing, they have. Rock climbing wall, pool, any and every type of cardio equipment, a huge variety of weight lifting equipment. On the other side, they have great towel service, friendly staff, nice showers with soap and shampoo provided, nice lockers with combinations so you don't need to bring a lock, etc. Parking is difficult in this area, but they validate parking for the parking garage immediately behind the gym and a back door allows you to easily slip from the parking garage to the gym. The trainers I've worked with are very practical, kind, and not intimidating. They encourage health, not extremes. The cafe is very nice as well. They also have on-site childcare. The bad: The hours aren't the greatest and the childcare hours are even worse. The childcare is also much more expensive than other gyms in the area. I often felt intimidated here by other gym-goers, unlike other gyms I've used. The classes are way too crowded for me to enjoy them, though they do have good variety. It's pretty pricey, and it's not very easy to cancel your membership! Overall, I'd support a friend who wanted to sign up here, but I wouldn't recommend it outright!

Oxana Pushmina

LOVE IT!! Exceptional place. Dave Rankin a customer service manager is the most helpful person I have ever met at FFC. He helped me out for several times with some little membership issues and provided excellent service. He is professional, friendly and open, it is a big pleasure to have a quick conversation with him each time I visit FFC in Oak Park. As for the facility it is always tidy, clean and well-maintained. People are very nice there. The location is good, downtown Oak Park is just pretty. Absolutely recommend!

Carolyn

I just joined this FFC and so far I am extremely happy. Wendy was very helpful and even got me out of a jam (forgetting my locker combination). I mostly joined this gym because I’ve belonged to every gym in Oak Park (and beyond) and I wanted a gym that had a pool and very flexible hours. They are 24 hours a day and that is really helpful for people that work long hours. Their classes are easy to attend with no pre-sign up. The layout of this gym is very convenient and does not feel pretentious like other gyms I have belonged too. The validate parking for 2 hours (which as anyone who lives in Oak Park, knows parking is a complete nightmare). I expected the cost to be enormous, but it was extremely reasonable and on par with other gyms in the are that offer far less amenities. They even have a spa that does no-chip nails! As a woman, one stop shopping is critical so I’m excited to try that out and see if they are equivalent to my usual nail place. Don’t assume FFC is over priced or pretentious, I’m research happy with my new gym choice and suggest everyone check them out if you are shopping for a gym.

Jason

Nice gym with lots of amenities. Definitely one of the more crowded FFC's though. With that said, there's still a sufficient amount of room and equipment to accommodate the larger crowd.

DYLAN LOUTFI

Good

Suzzanne Summers

Thanks FFC for doing a thorough investigation of the bogus claims made by Korie Smith’s daughter against an exemplary (for 11 years!) yoga instructor. 8 students (no — not all white) who actually saw what happened completely discredited the report of the woman who rudely barged into our class to do her own thing & took offense at being asked to follow protocol. We missed our instructor for a week but so glad to know that FFC can be counted on to get to the truth of the matter & do the right thing.

Anthony Incandela

Don’t go here it’s awful

Fran Dell

Class schedule is terrible. They offer aerobic exercise classes after yoga or Pilate's! I have complained for years & no change.

Korie Smith

My self and my family have been members for over 10 years at the Oak Park Location. We have had at least two incidents with our child and young adult where a trainer or instructor have behaved inappropriately. Just today a white male yoga instructor yelled at my daughter because she walked into his class that had ended. He got in her personal space put his fingers in her face. When she demanded he move, he kicked her mat. This happened in front of people who all proceeded to leave the room. We are members, we pay like everyone else. I do believe this man treated my 22 year old daughter this way because she is black. I do believe that these people continue to work for FFC because they are white, and typically the grievance's of black and brown people go with out penalty or resolution. We are not letting this go until this man is fired, and FFC apologizes to our family.

Oxana G

Visited the club whilst staying with my daughter, gym member. Fantastic facilities, gym, classes, pool and cafe ... need to mention Rebecca , bar staff who just made my visit 5*. I m a very awkward customer when it comes to coffees and smoothies..She just gave it a personal touch. Thank you :)

walec

Nice place. Friendly stuff. Clean. Gets crowded sometimes, but still good place for workouts. Interesting classes.

Robert Paul

It's main advantage is that it is the only act in town. It is clean, most machines are functioning, and has a good assortment of equipment. However, it offers way more than I care to use or pay for --- climbing wall, yoga studio --- sneaks in 'extra' charges with vague explanation, is usually crowded and noisy --- what's with all the flat screens, anyway, are you there to work out and pay attention to your body?, and the free weight section is limited, the personal trainers are always training their client in major traffic lanes --- use the empty rooms!. Frankly, for over 1200$ annually for my wife and myself, not worth the money and we are actively searching for another fitness center.

Ericka Nichole

The way the billing department is set up is absolutely horrible and very bad business. Good luck talking a to a live person. Had I known this, I would have NEVER joined. The service is indicative of what they think of you - NOTHING. They just want your money.

Andrew Sansardo

I'm new to the area and I was looking to join a fitness club. Im a member at lifetime fitness currently and when I signed up 4 years ago I paid a enrollment fee (which I understand for the sales person and start up cost ) but , the FFC concept of charging different start up cost base on "crowd control" is very unprofessional. I called the old town location and if I was to use just that location it would be 1/3 the start up cost then the same location in oak park. Creating a loyal customer is worth a lot more then a start up cost. The monthly dues is what keeps the crowd control down. 65 FFC, 39 la fitness , x-sport 34. Your price is the crowd control, not the enrollment fee.

Rohan Rox

What a nice place for body fitness thank you guys..

Victor Groszko

Great gym but crowded

Daylin A

Great gym, friendly staff and free 2 hour parking

Erica Shelton

The facility offered wonderful programs and classes. Aquatic, Formu-Life, and Yoga to name a few. The staff was awesome with the exception of a few working administration. Wanted to renew but now I have to search for another place with a similar atmosphere. Great parking as well

Kendra Knight

FFC is “fine”. The people are really nice, both staff and members. The spaces are clean and organized, and it has all the equipment you would expect. And I’ve never had a bad experience here. But I would not go so far as to call the brand “upscale” or “high end” as advertised. It is functional. It has the vibe and aesthetic of a university workout center from the 90s. My guess is that because there is little competition in the way of major lifestyle fitness brands that pervade other areas of the country, FFC has not had to innovate or update itself. I wish it would, because then it would be much more inviting.

gina

After 8 years as a member, I asked the manager to help me solve a problem with a staffperson who was creating an unsafe environment at the pool. He showed little interest in helping me, the problem has persisted, and I am very frustrated and ready to quit. Join this club at your own risk. They don't seem to care about the members. I feel invisible.

Jason Dabrowski

Great place to work out. Staff is always cleaning. Gets brand new equipment on a regular basis. Pricey, but worth it.

Balto X61

Worst ffc I've been to, threatened to call the police on me for dropping the weights a couple of times, I legitimately was trying to deadlift quieter but no matter what I did, they would aggressively complain. I love ffc, but this location please avoid at all cost if you're serious about lifting. It's essentially a $150 version of planet fitness, so if that's what you're looking for this is the place to be!!

Melanie Gomez

It's a little pricey, but worth the extra money for a really excellent facility and super comfortable environment. Everything is top-notch from the locker room to the equipment to the classes and instructors.

Hiroko Kaise

The facility is clean and beautiful. I like the sun deck, pool, locker room, spa, work out areas, as well as the kid's club. The best part of it is that they have 6 staff members at the kid's club all the time, which means you don't need to call them before going there, like Bally, or it never gets full, unlike YMCA. My daughter likes to go there, too! I also like the people exercising there. You see young/old and skinny/chubby people. I go there to exercise & relax at the same time.

Lush Depths

Expensive club, but well worth it. All the equipment is top of the line and there is adequate space available (considering the location). There are free group classes available starting at 5:45am and running until about 9pm. There is also basketball court, pool, and spa lounge. The staff is friendly (shout out to Barrett Lewis) and I have yet to witness any altercations. If you like to get to the gym 4+ times a week and are willing to shell out a little more, I would recommend giving FFC Oak Park a chance.

Jephthah Woods

Always clean and most of the staff is knowledgeable. I love how it's 24/7 monday -thursday and you can buy food and other stuff with cta. This is a expensive gym because it's luxurious and have a awesome view of downtown

Garry Hall

Forget trying to cancel your membership. They just keep charging you and then say you never cancelled. Avoid

Gulia Petalver

My experience so far with FFC Oak Park after joining it less than a week ago: Sales staff - 1 star I came in and did the tour of the club with one of the staff members. No follow up after my visit was done. Working In sales myself it’s a bit concerning that sales staff doesn’t follow up at all. I came back myself a week after the tour and asked to fill out the forms to join. I was suggested that the staff member who showed me around originally will follow up at a later time and I can come back to join because that staff member was not working at the time I came in. To me since there is no follow up was made I really don’t think the staff member earned any credit. I waited for about 15 minutes when another staff member was available and completed my enrollment. While most gyms nowadays have enrollment fees ($195 at FFC), this is the first time I am hearing about annual fee

Matthew Kovich

What can I say? I like it enough that I actually go to the gym.

Dayno

Great employees,love the milkshakes, easy to get a quick work before work.

Annie W

Very crowded gym. Although it is clean