Buffalo Grove Gymnastics Center closing at the end of the month

After 28 years, Buffalo Grove Gymnastics Center will be closing its doors at the end of the month.

The business, located at 1362 Barclay Boulevard, announced on its Facebook page that its last day will be July 31.

The center's president, Gregg Didech, said Friday that the pandemic took its toll on the center.

“The market's not there. With the COVID, it's not a profitable business anymore,” Didech said. “Who knows what will happen? There is no guarantee. We could be closed tomorrow. You don't know what could happen, with the COVID.

“It's sad, but I think it's time though. When you do anything for 28 years, it's a long time.”

He said the center has produced such elite gymnasts as David Sender, who in 2008 won the national men's all-around title, only to sprain his ankle while practicing on the high bar during an Olympic trials training session, forcing him to withdraw.

Another outstanding gymnast was Larissa Fontaine, who competed in the 1996 Olympic trials.

Over the years, Didech estimates, 25,000 to 30,000 students passed through the center's doors. At peak enrollment, the center was seeing about 2,500 kids a week.

Didech said there is a chance someone might buy the business and reopen it.

“But it's hard to get someone that wants to do that with corona going on,” he said. “And our numbers were going down the last few years, too.”

Didech thanked his coaches and clients and “everyone that represented us and made us look like one of the top gyms in the country for many, many years.”