Yaletown flagship Barre Fitness studio closing due to COVID-19 pandemic

The novel coronavirus is forcing the closure of a boutique fitness studio in the heart of Yaletown this week.

With that, a decade of ballet-based workouts at the barre of the first-ever Barre Fitness Studio in Canada, are coming to an end at its flagship location Saturday, Sept. 26.

“It’s heartbreaking to have a full studio of dedicated members but still not be able to succeed,” said CEO and co-founder Ella Jotie, who reopened the studio to in-person classes this June after a three-month closure.

“Despite the success of Barre’s reopening in June, the impact of COVID-19 and the physical distancing measures on a small Yaletown studio have made it difficult to keep the doors open.”

Jotie, a preeminent Barre instructor, has had to limit the studio to 8 clients per class in order to maintain new social distancing guidelines amid the pandemic.

Prior to the public health crisis, the 1038 Mainland St. studio saw as many as 21 clients line up in its space for fitness classes.

“The COVID-19 pandemic was a major factor in our decision to close,” Jotie said.

That, coupled with costly rent, and the end of the federal government’s emergency commercial rent assistance (CECRA) have led to the closure of the Yaletown studio.

“Most of our other locations are double in size,” and can accommodate anywhere up to 14 at once during the pandemic, she added – including a North Delta Barre Fitness location that is slated to open in early 2021.

Born and raised in Vancouver, Jotie – now 41 – was just 30 years old when she introduced Canada to ballet strength training as a way of staying fit with co-founder Michele Murgel. “The team and I are saddened to see our iconic studio shut its doors,” Jotie mourned, also about receptionists at Barre Fitness losing employment during the pandemic.

“We’ve seen clients share their stories here, make new friends, meet their eventual spouses, get over break-ups… the stories are endless as to what women have experienced in our studio over the past ten years.”

Four other Barre Fitness locations in Metro Vancouver, in Port Moody, Dunbar, South Surrey and the North Shore, all have plans to remain open.

Additionally, Barre is offering up to 40 live-streamed classes, in which clients can participate in from the safety of their homes.

"All of our locations now offer virtual classes,” said Jotie, who expressed hopes of continued employment of her senior Yaletown-location trainers on a virtual platform Barre Fitness Online, which will launch later this year.