Martejo Discount will close its doors for good – again – at the end of this month, while newcomer Crunch Fitness moves to take over the building in Algonquin after months of delays.
The discount dealer, located at 1561 S. Randall Road, first announced its permanent closure in October after Crunch Fitness gained village approval to open a 24/7 health club in the same space. Martejo Discount owner Joedy Martell started clearing out his inventory and closed the doors to his business in December.
But a month later, Martell reopened, having heard no word of Crunch Fitness moving in anytime soon. He shifted his focus to online auctions on app.martejo.com and his eBay store under HooGotDeals, using the 30,000-square-foot building as a warehouse to store the goods and provide a spot for winning bidders to pick up items.
Martejo Discount is a liquidation auction and retail store offering steep discounts on products ranging from furniture and home improvement items to everyday household goods such as laundry detergent and toilet paper.
Its final day will be June 29. The store will not be open to the general public, and only online bidding will be available.
“We want to sincerely thank all of our customers, bidders, supporters, friends and families who have supported us throughout the years,” Martell said in an online statement. “Your business, loyalty and encouragement have meant more to us than words can express.”
For his next venture, Martell is creating an online platform called Bidsmooth.com to help auction and liquidation operators streamline their services.
A building permit “was just issued” to Crunch Fitness, Algonquin Community Development Director Patrick Knapp said. The workout chain will begin building out the space next month with the goal to open before the end of this year.
Crunch Fitness has more than 500 gyms across the country, with nearby Illinois locations in Palatine, Schaumburg and Round Lake Beach, according to the business’s website. The health club offers group fitness classes, red light therapy, massages, a turf area, child care, personal training, locker rooms and saunas.
Membership costs start at $10 per month, Fit Fusion CEO Robert McCormack said at a previous village meeting.
Fit Fusion is a Crunch partner that aims to “achieve operational excellence across all our Crunch Fitness locations,’ according to its website.