So how exactly does an optometrist become the owner of a boutique fitness studio?
In 2012, I moved back to Manayunk, a place I got to know and love while completing my residency as an optometrist in 2003. I was looking for a fresh start and cycling studio that I could call home in my new neighborhood. I found that in The Wall. It was a scrappy little studio on one of Manayunk’s side streets. The owner, Julie, greeted me at the door with a smile. The room was small, and the bikes were unique, but what set this little studio apart from everyone else was that there was always a seat for me when I booked my class, and every instructor provided a great workout. I never had to worry about my experience no matter what class I signed up for, and I knew very quickly that I found my happy place.
The Wall became so much more than a workout studio for me. It became my community. My therapy. My safe space. The friendships I found there have lasted more than a decade. I loved it so much that I still came back even after I got married and moved to New Jersey! While The Wall changed over the years — new bikes, new instructors, new locations — its heart has remained the same. It was my personal beacon of hope during the pandemic, and I have been so grateful to have this community in my life for the last 13 years.
So of course, when the opportunity to take over the studio was offered to me in 2022, I immediately said yes! I am so very humbled and proud to continue the journey started by Julie and grow our community even larger. If you have ever felt intimidated by a gym or other workout space, we would love to be your new fitness home. As a lifelong sufferer of PCOS, I have been every weight and level of fitness since I was in grade school. It has taken a long time but finding the right community that supports and inspires me has helped me continue to reach new levels of fitness in my 40s that I could only dream of in my 20s. With my team of fabulous instructors, I invite you to come in and experience the joy of movement and achieve the fitness and health goals that you have always wanted!!!