PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A gym owner in Palm Beach County said they have been able to stay open the last 12 months with help from federal loans.
Now, they are hoping new loans will help keep their doors open in the months to come.
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It's been almost a year since Fit Body Boot Camp along Lantana Road had to shut down after COVID-19 lockdowns.
"March 19, we shut down for a little over two months," said owner Serene Prinyavivatkul.
Prinyavivatkul said they were lucky to hold virtual classes during those two months but still lost about 50 percent of their members over the last year.
She had to hire four new people last year after she was diagnosed with a kidney disease that stopped her from working for most of 2020.
She said she was lucky to qualify for a Paycheck Protection Program loan and a federal small business loan, which has helped keep her employees and the gym open.
Prinyavivatkul has applied for another PPP loan and is now waiting to hear if she will receive any money.
"[The loan would provide] two-and-a-half months of payroll," she said.
She said the PPP would be enough to keep her staff but unless more members sign up or more loans become available, she doesn’t know if she can stay open.
The PPP loan that Prinyavivatkul applied for is specifically open to small businesses with less than 20 employees, and she hopes to hear back by the end of next week.