Northern Virginia is officially in phase two of its reopening plan, with expected plans to move into phase three in the coming weeks. In the current phase, restaurants, day care centers and gyms have the OK from the state to open with capacity restrictions in place, but some fitness studios—including Arlington’s Good Sweat Co.—are remaining closed for the time being.
The Rosslyn-based indoor cycling studio sent out an email to its members on June 12, the same day NoVA entered phase two, announcing its plan to stay closed until early July.
“Ultimately what it comes down to is that we are a health and wellness company at the core,” says Ally Hashemi, founder and CEO of Good Sweat. “We closed a week before it was mandated and we plan to open long after it’s permitted as well. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that we are being extra cautious. Our main priority is the community.”
Prior to coming to the final decision, Hashemi and her staff surveyed over 100 studio members to better understand the overall comfort level among clients about when and how to return. According to Hashemi, reopening in phases—with outdoor classes of only nine riders, all distanced by 10 feet come July—is what the majority of members felt would be safest for all participants, including staff.
While Hashemi’s current plan is to welcome riders back with open arms in early July, she and her staff are counting on the recommendations of scientists, government officials and health professionals as their guide.
“We are playing it safe because that’s what is best for our community right now,” says Hashemi. “That’s the beauty of being a small business: We can really do what we know the community wants.”
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