ROC House A Bust in Buckhead

Specialty fitness facility fails. 

ROC House Women's Fitness Spa has closed its facility on Piedmont Road in Buckhead.  The spa opened in September 2013 in place of the Aveda Institute which relocated to Brookwood Place on Peachtree.  Former NBA player Larry Hughes opened ROC House, with seemingly no experience in the field, and perhaps bit off more than he could chew.  Make no mistake, I'm not cheering failure, but it is sad to see ill-advised current and former pro athletes sink millions of dollars into businesses that fail.

Although Hughes never reached superstar status, former Hawks and then Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry signed him to a five-year $70 million contract during the summer of 2005.  

The nearly 15,000 square foot fitness spa offered strength and conditioning training, personal training, yoga, spin, pilates and cardio. ROC House also featured a full-service spa that included a hair salon, nail studio, massage services, facial, waxing and a lash & brow bar.  The facility also featured a mini cafe of sorts, where it offered healthy meal options including healthy entree plates, salads, flatbreads and smoothies.  

The Cafe at ROC House

"ROC House Women's Fitness Spa is a one-stop headquarters for launching your new holistic, healthy lifestyle – offering a transformative blend of physical fitness, mental relaxation, and health conscious sustenance."

Local sources indicate the business was never busy and that it abruptly closed about two weeks ago.  As of this week, the business was largely cleared out with little left inside.  I did spot a Kroger cart and a large piece of equipment.  

The closure of ROC House follows the November 2014 closure of similarly named ROC (Republic of Couture), a boutique in midtown.  

The 14,875 square foot space ROC House Women's Fitness Spa is currently being marketed for lease by property owner Selig Properties.  The ROC space in midtown, also owned by Selig properties, is also being marketed for lease.  

Did you ever visit ROC House, if so what were your thoughts? Are you surprised by its closure?  What would you like to see open in place of ROC House?

Please share your thoughts below.