Polly Taylor (left) and Sara McGlothlin recently opened a new fitness studio in the West End. Photos by Michael Thompson.
Two UVA alums are raising the barre in a West End shopping center.
BarReVA, a fitness studio that utilizes ballet barres in its workouts, opened earlier this month at 5711 W. Broad St. in Libbie Place Shopping Center.
Owners Polly Taylor and Sara McGlothlin are childhood friends who did the workouts for recreation before seeing the chance to operate their own studio full-time. Taylor formerly worked at Davenport & Co., and McGlothlin has worked at BB&T and local chia seed company Health Warrior.
“I just realized over time it was more than just a hobby – it was a passion,” Taylor said.
The pair leased a 1,200-square-foot former tax return office and converted it into their studio, lining it with bamboo floors (they’re easier on the knees), Taylor said. They wouldn’t say how much it cost to open the business or how it’s being financed.
BarReVA’s neighbors include Barnes & Noble and PetSmart.
BaReVA offers one-hour fitness classes seven days a week. The classes can hold up to 20 people and the workouts incorporate yoga and pilates.
Barre studios have been one of the more popular iterations of the competitive niche fitness market that has spread around Richmond over the last several years. CrossFit, various types of yoga, kickboxing and other workouts have also fueled the industry locally.
Other barre studios in the area include The Hot Yoga Barre in Willow Lawn, Barre Boutique in Carytown and Midlothian, and Pure Barre with locations Short Pump and the West End.
Taylor and McGlothlin said they hope their startup status, as opposed to being a franchise, will help attract patrons. They chose their location on West Broad Street because it’s accessible by major roads like interstates 64 and 195. They also liked the shopping center’s mix of tenants, which includes Barnes & Noble and Target.
It costs $15 for a single class for newcomers to BarReVA and $18 for each class after that. Monthly unlimited classes cost about $100, and classes can also be bought in clusters of 10 and 20 at rates lower than the standard $18 apiece.
BarReVA would eventually like to expand its range of class offerings to include pre- and postnatal classes. For now, the focus is on establishing a following.
“There’s a big focus on getting the word out,” McGlothlin said. “In a year we’d like to have a full class schedule with full classes.”
Polly Taylor (left) and Sara McGlothlin recently opened a new fitness studio in the West End. Photos by Michael Thompson.
Two UVA alums are raising the barre in a West End shopping center.
BarReVA, a fitness studio that utilizes ballet barres in its workouts, opened earlier this month at 5711 W. Broad St. in Libbie Place Shopping Center.
Owners Polly Taylor and Sara McGlothlin are childhood friends who did the workouts for recreation before seeing the chance to operate their own studio full-time. Taylor formerly worked at Davenport & Co., and McGlothlin has worked at BB&T and local chia seed company Health Warrior.
“I just realized over time it was more than just a hobby – it was a passion,” Taylor said.
The pair leased a 1,200-square-foot former tax return office and converted it into their studio, lining it with bamboo floors (they’re easier on the knees), Taylor said. They wouldn’t say how much it cost to open the business or how it’s being financed.
BarReVA’s neighbors include Barnes & Noble and PetSmart.
BaReVA offers one-hour fitness classes seven days a week. The classes can hold up to 20 people and the workouts incorporate yoga and pilates.
Barre studios have been one of the more popular iterations of the competitive niche fitness market that has spread around Richmond over the last several years. CrossFit, various types of yoga, kickboxing and other workouts have also fueled the industry locally.
Other barre studios in the area include The Hot Yoga Barre in Willow Lawn, Barre Boutique in Carytown and Midlothian, and Pure Barre with locations Short Pump and the West End.
Taylor and McGlothlin said they hope their startup status, as opposed to being a franchise, will help attract patrons. They chose their location on West Broad Street because it’s accessible by major roads like interstates 64 and 195. They also liked the shopping center’s mix of tenants, which includes Barnes & Noble and Target.
It costs $15 for a single class for newcomers to BarReVA and $18 for each class after that. Monthly unlimited classes cost about $100, and classes can also be bought in clusters of 10 and 20 at rates lower than the standard $18 apiece.
BarReVA would eventually like to expand its range of class offerings to include pre- and postnatal classes. For now, the focus is on establishing a following.
“There’s a big focus on getting the word out,” McGlothlin said. “In a year we’d like to have a full class schedule with full classes.”