Since 1979, the Sportsbarn has been a downtown tradition. But all traditions eventually need to end, and so the downtown location will be closing their doors at the end of the month.
The Sportsbarn was founded by Alex Guerry with the goal of creating a premier racquet club that would bring life and vitality to what was then an abandoned downtown area.
"Over the past few decades, Sportsbarn has touched thousands of lives, including members and staff who have been part of the Sportsbarn community," said Sportbarn's David Brock.
Many members remember the days when Johnny Hennen roamed the racquetball courts winning 13 national championships and raising thousands of dollars for local charities. And of course, handball champion Scott Kelly was a touring pro ranked 7th in the world at one time.
Until the pandemic, Sportsbarn hosted the annual Bud Kelly Memorial handball tournament which was considered one of the most popular handball events in the country.
Throughout the years, the downtown Sportsbarn evolved from a racquet club to a health club offering weight training, group classes, yoga, basketball, pickleball, cycling, and many other forms of fitness.
"The common thread throughout this evolution has been the community created by our members, staff, and the countless friendships that have been formed through the decades," Brock noted. "To all our members, both past and current, we want to thank you for your contribution to the Sportsbarn community. We also want to thank our dedicated staff, specifically Teresa Wade, Don Bowman, and our good friend the late Brian Harrison who have collectively spent over 100 years at Sportsbarn."
While the downtown location is closing, their other two locations will continue to be open to our members.
"While we are sad to see the downtown location close, we believe the original founders of the Sportsbarn would feel gratified to see how their racquet club has made such a positive impact on the city and the lives of so many community members," Brock said.
Sportsbarn image courtesy Google Earth