Today we’d like to introduce you to Pure Barre Kalamazoo.
Hi Pure Barre Kalamazoo, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
We started in a small studio on the corner of Oakland and Centre. It was a normal day of classes until we received the tornado warning on May 7th. We became aware of the storm and were monitoring it via the news. Shortly after the 5:45pm class started, alarms on everyone’s phone started going off and that’s when Kim (front desk staff) and Pam (teacher) decided to move everyone into the bathrooms. Everything happened so quickly, they said it sounded like a helicopter was on top of the building. By the time they got to the bathrooms the door on the left side was jammed shut from the foundation shifting, and they all crammed into the bathroom on the right. There were 11 members and 2 staff in 1 bathroom. When everything was quiet, they came out to see the damage. They quickly made their way to the front of the building, walking over ceiling tiles and insulation. The front door was jammed shut, the whole front of the building was caving in towards them. As they were getting ready to smash the glass out of the door, a man came to help them open the door from the outside. Cars were also damaged. Eventually, the whole building had to be torn town, as it had shifted off it’s foundation and more than 1/2 of lost the roof and back cylinder blocks.. The most important part was nobody was hurt. We were so thankful everyone was safe.
It was surreal driving to the studio that evening and then next several days. Centre was a complete mess, our parking lot was filled with glass. It was truly devastating.
While Kennedy (the owner) started clean-up and the joyous tasks with insurance, Madalyn (GM) started finding a temporary location. Many business reached out to us to offer support and to offer their space for classes, Reflections Med Spa was our first temporary location, we moves chairs/tables/rugs and brought our portable speaker.
Members showed up and that really encouraged us to continue to find locations for the time being. We went to Westendge Hill Nutrition, The Space Dance Co, BSD Dance, and 468 Winery met us at 5:30am to allow us to offer our 6am classes. We didn’t skip a day of classes. Our teachers were ready to jump in and help teach wherever they could. It was an unwavering amount of support from the community and members. By Monday May 13th, we ended up at a temporary studio inside Vitality Health and quickly made it our own. We bought temporary mirrors, temporary barres and moved as much of our equipment that we were able to safely get out of the old studio in. We still held 30/40 classes a week. Our members are the true warriors. They attended classes without barres and mirrors for at least a month, and we were without a new studio for 4 months. We will be eternally grateful for the community that stuck by us as we rebuilt.
September 20th we opened our new permanent location. We are in a bigger space, completed some upgrades and enhanced our member experience. We ended up just kitty-corner from our old space. We are currently located 7912 Oakland Dr.
This was an experience that we will never forget. We look back with gratititude and are proud of how far we came.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely wasn’t easy at first. I am sure that first week, Kennedy nor I slept. It was day and night finding a temporary location, communicating with our corporate office, insurance, communicating staff members, with members, gather what we could from the old studio and getting it moved to the temporary studio. Finding and ordering things to make our temporary space as much like a barre studio as we could. I think our jump to action made things go smoother than it could have been. Being in a temporary studio 6 days after the tornado was a great accomplishment for us. It gave our members a sense of home and community.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Pure Barre a full-body, low-impact, high-intensity workout. Our classes are 50-55 minutes and is fastest & the most effective way to change your mind and body. We use small weights and tiny movements to target muscle groups you don’t typically work in your average workout. We offer 4 formats: Classic, Define, Align and Empower. Designed so you can do all of your cross training in one room. Each class features musically driven choreography for a fresh and effective full-body workout that benefits clients at every fitness level. Any age, any body, can do a Pure Barre class. For every position, there is a modification so you can take it at your own pace. While this is a group fitness class, it feels like a private class, as our teachers provide 1 on 1 help in class. We are here to encourage our members to be the best versions of themselves and help them celebrate all of their milestones along the way. If you have been doing fitness for awhile or you are just taking that first step, Pure Barre is the place to be.
What makes you happy?
We love hearing our members success stories, watching members become friends, our pop-up classes around the community, celebrating milestones, watching someone fall in love with barre for the first time! These are things that fill all of our hearts. It is so special to be someone’s safe place for all things.
Pricing:
- Local residents can try their first class free!
- Mention this article for 20% off first unlimited month membership
- Depending on how many classes you take per week, it is $8-$25/class.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.purebarre.com/location/kalamazoo-mi
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pbkzoo/
