619....you seem to have it pretty correct from what I know.
George is still in the fitness industry from what I understand. If I am not mistaken....he's doing something with 24hr Fitness.....but this was a year or so ago. One of my best friends was one of the partners that bought into that interesting venture. They put that Golds off the 78 which was a terrible Idea. The parking sucked & from the freeway, it was hard to get to. My friend ended up running the Gold's in Mira Mesa. He was there from the build-out up until it was sold to Bally's a number of years ago. If you really want more of the story.... I can find it out. From what I can tell.....you seem to have it pretty much correct as it is.
George Jackson didn't even train, he was a pencil pusher but knew Ed from doing the Venice books, which was his in with Gold's. If you think that Vista location off the 78 is bad, you should have seen the location that Rick and Co. opened on Hill Street (now Coast Hyway)! PATHETIC!
I forgot the name of the gym on 78 before they merged, but it was there before Gold's merged in with them.
Rick was an Army Ranger. He has the Ranger tattoo on his delt.
Rick, contary to his big talk, is no Donald Trump when it comes to business. In fact, from what I hear the PB gym is not doing nearly as good as it did in the 80's. And yes stunt-they had neon light all over the ceiling at Gold's PB. That was Ed'd deal, he did that at all the gyms he was running/involed in, and there were quite a few of them. Today when Ed buys a Gold's he keeps control of the ownership-no more of the stuff he used to do- which was buy the gyms about to fold and nurse them back to health with his guys managing, and eventually buying out Ed. Last I heard Ed's portfolio had about 20 Gold's Gyms in it.
What is the oldest gym in California that is still doing business in its original location?
And .............
What is the oldest gym in California that is still in business?
Stunt....
Stern's Gym is not only the oldest gym in CA, it is the oldest in the
nation. Stern opened his gym in 1946, and it is still in operation today. It has been at it's present location on Granada Street in the Northpark section of San Diego since 1948 I think.
No other gym else even comes close!