718 Pilates, a Black women-owned studio on a quiet block in Bedford-Stuyvesant, recently celebrated its first anniversary.
Located at 718 Lexington Ave., the studio was founded by Leona Wilson, Tommi Edwards and Ariel Hodge three friends who met while earning their Pilates certifications in 2022. The trio said they bonded over a shared passion for wellness and a desire to bring Pilates to their community.
“We wanted to make an impact in the Black community, an impact for women, and men, as well as make Pilates accessible,” Hodge said. “Over the last three years, we began to brainstorm on what that would look like. We started with pop-up classes in Brooklyn, and then we were presented with the opportunity to start 718 Pilates, and we wanted to put it in Brooklyn because we are all natives.”
Wilson said being the only three Black women in their certification class strengthened their connection. She added that Pilates helped her recover from a shoulder injury and inspired her to support others dealing with similar physical challenges.
When an opportunity arose to open their own studio, the founders moved quickly.
“Our journey was a bit different from others,” Hodge said. “We had an investor approach us about a space, and that was the easiest part for us. It was so perfect because we didn’t have to go through that part of the journey regarding getting a loan for the space.”
In its first year, the studio has built a base of repeat clients and received positive feedback from neighborhood residents.
Sophie Pickerell, who lives nearby, began attending classes last November after discovering the studio on ClassPass.
“I have Class Pass, and I’m always looking for Pilates classes, and they are always booked, but at the studio, I was able to find a spot,” she said.
Pickerell said she has returned about six times, citing the studio’s proximity and small class sizes as reasons she plans to continue attending.
The two-floor studio offers an intimate setting designed to create a calming atmosphere, the owners said.
“When you walk into our studio, you immediately feel at home, you can take a breath of fresh air, and it smells good as soon as you walk in,” Hodge said.
There’s a place to hang up your coat and to put away your shoes to help you feel more relaxed before starting your session.
The space includes designated areas for coats and shoes to help clients settle in before class.
718 Pilates offers mat Pilates, reformer Pilates and yoga classes. Clients can register through the studio’s website.
As the founders enter their second year, they said they are considering expansion.
“Going into our second year, it makes it a little bit more exciting because now we have that information,” Edwards said. “So now, it’s all about execution and kind of like really doing the things that we’ve envisioned since day one and starting to really grow that.”