The Vault unlocks potential for health and wellness
A yoga studio was not part of the plan when Lee and Lauren Merrill went to look at the old bank in New Lowell.
They had been admiring the building on County Road 9 ever since arriving in New Lowell in 2021 so when it was listed for sale, they decided to go and take a look.
“The property was zoned multi-use commercial,” according to Lee, “so we were imagining that we would buy it as an investment, rent the ground floor to a business and get a tenant for the apartment upstairs.”
All that changed when they walked through the door.
“The feeling was amazing,” said Lauren. “The space was so warm and welcoming. New Lowell is our home, where we’re going to grow our family and we thought this would be a great place to create some sort of community hub.”
Enter Lee’s sister, Kendal Merrill who has operated Strong Studio, a fitness facility in Orangeville for the past four years.
When Lee and Lauren invited her to come and look at the building, she immediately spotted the potential. With minimal cosmetic changes, the space would be perfect for a yoga and wellness studio, with a focus on social connection.
“We’re offering a range of classes from beginner yoga to advanced body sculpting,” said Kendal. “I’m a fully certified fitness instructor, personal trainer and nutritionist, and we have hired five local teachers. Some of our classes are capped at six participants. Some allow up to eight people. Currently, we’re running 12- 14 classes per week, and eventually, that will probably increase to about 20 classes.”
Kendal said they don’t want to take on too much, or grow too quickly.
“We want to fill a need,” she said. “Whether you’re new to the fitness world or just getting back into it, our instructors will be there for support. Getting into a fitness program can be daunting so we will be a sounding board and a shoulder to lean on. For me, the feeling of knowing you are a big part of someone’s fitness journey is very rewarding.”
As a mother of three young children with a busy life, Lauren has found it challenging to find a place nearby with a class schedule that worked for her. She also wanted to restore the bank building as a community hub.
“More than just a place to work on your fitness, The Vault will be a place to make connections,” said Lauren. “We’ve only been open since Feb. 9, and already we see relationships forming. This building has been a mainstay of the community for a long time, and we want to build on that heritage.”
She said it is too soon to think about expanding to additional locations although that may happen down the road.
“It’s not about money or franchising,” she said. “We want to pour our hearts into this and make it something really special.”
Individual fitness classes cost $25 per one-hour session. The Merrills are also exploring the possibility of renting out the studio space for private gatherings.
Information on classes can be found at the-vault-yoga-wellness-social. square.site.
Bonnie MacPherson photo: Lee and Lauren Merrill, along with Lee’s sister Kendal Merrill, have named their newly opened yoga and wellness studio situated in the historic bank building in New Lowell, The Vault.
