Look How We've Grown . . .
In Spring 1998 I met Kristin Smith while working at a physical therapy clinic. She was a physical therapy assistant, and we both taught Pilates. We both learned so much from working closely with the physical therapists. But fifteen minutes to work with patients in a very loud gym became more and more frustrating.
We began looking for a space to rent and found a storage space that we thought would work. It was a closet full of junk: paint rollers, empty boxes, old carpet. The walls were full of holes. But we didn't have much money, the price was right, so we took it.
We cleaned up the space and patched up the walls. One of the holes was too big to fix, so I covered it up with some beautiful thrift-store fabric. It covered the entire wall.
The Willamette Week was the first place we advertised. They printed the wrong phone number the first week. Everyone who called to make an appointment wound up with a travel agent downtown.
As we slowly built up clients, it was time to get organized. We needed a file box, so I used an empty Fed box that I painted white. Half the room was taken up by a deep window sill, and we had to buy foam and vinyl to make a mat that fit it. Luckily I already had a Balanced Body home reformer that a previous client had traded for lessons. The room was so small only two people could fit in it at a time. If Kristin or I wanted a client to use a physio ball we had to go out onto the landing for floor space.
We saved every nickel we made for six months, and worked day jobs the entire time. Then we finally had enough money to buy a trap table and move into a space with breathing & stretching room.
Our second studio (our first real studio) was on NW 21st Street, above Anna Banana's coffee house. After moving in we got more clients and made enough money to buy more professional equipment. We never took out a single business loan. Eventually we had enough clients to make a waiting list, and were able to quit our other jobs.
In January 2001 I was invited to a Physicalmind Institute® conference where I trained and was certified as a teacher trainer. We started teacher training soon after. After 21/2 years we outgrew the second studio.
In June 2001 we made the big move to the Plainfields' Mayer building on SW 21st Ave. In addition to starting up our first mat classes and getting our first Front Desk Goddess, we were also able to bring on more instructors. It was so exciting to be able to offer more great instructors, mat classes, and massage.
Kristin moved to Colorado in 2002 to open a new studio with her sister. She continues to do teacher training and work with professional athletes & post surgical clients. Elizabeth has since taken her place as co-owner, and guided us to our new (and final) location in Portland's beautiful city center.
It is amazing to be here now. We have some of the best instructors in town, all with eclectic backgrounds and a variety of skill sets. All with a gift for & a love of teaching and sharing the myriad ways Pilates can benefit anyone.
It has been fascinating to watch the evolution of Pilates over the last 20 years. As Pilates becomes more mainstream and popularized, our commitment to integrity, quality instruction, and continuing education remains as strong as ever.
We have come so far in the last ten years, and none of it would have been possible without the continued trust and dedication of our clients and talented instructors.
Story by Shelly Stephenson
