Pure Barre Brings Boutique to Fitness
For Britta Lofgren, a “meet me in St. Louis” beginning to her relationship led to a major career change.
The Minnesota native met her now-fiancé, a Texan, in St. Louis at a wedding and moved south not long after. That gave the corporate executive a chance to hit the reset button on her career and pursue a different passion.
“It was something I knew I wanted to do,” she said. “I dreamt of having my own studio.”
That’s why she opened a Pure Barre studio in Preston Royal Village last month. The franchise is based out of South Carolina, but there’s already one location on Greenville Avenue. Lofgren thought Preston Hollow was just the place.
“Preston Hollow has the clientele we’re looking for,” she said. “They’re avid, fitness enthusiasts and are somewhat underserved when it comes to new, boutique fitness. You have gyms and some yoga studios, but barre doesn’t have a presence.”
So what is it about barre that makes the difference?
“You get quick results from working the muscles to fatigue,” instructor and Dallas native Rita Olivares said. “It’s 55 minutes of intensity. Your body is shaking throughout the class, so it’s a challenge and getting through the entire workout is rewarding.”
Though Olivares hasn’t taught a traditional fitness class before, she has spent plenty of time teaching salsa dancing.
“It’s pretty similar, as far as the music and staying on beat,” she said. “Your voice has to be motivating. You have to bring the energy. You follow a certain choreography and style.”
Olivares and Lofgren make up two of the six instructors at the Preston Royal location. And that small size is one thing Lofgren thinks the community will love.
“You get to know the people,” she said. “It’s much more tailored, and you get to socialize.”
In order to fit into the lives of participants, Lofgren’s schedule is highly focused in the mornings and evenings.
“We have a lot of working professionals, or moms taking care of their kids, so we can tailor to both of those worlds,” she said.
Fitting into the busy lives of neighbors is a goal shared by her team of instructors.
“It will meet their needs,” Olivares said. “There are a lot of moms in the area that don’t have time to work out all day long. The fact that we’re going to offer several different times to cater to everyone’s schedule will be great.”
