When I was first introduced to Mindy Sofro’s studio barre3 in downtown Santa Barbara back in August 2019, I was drawn to the full-body group workout that combines strength conditioning, heart-pumping cardio bursts, balance and mindfulness.
As it turned out, the adaptive, flexible approach to exercise also provided inspiration for Sofro as she steered barre3 through the bewildering COVID-19 shutdowns.
To keep her business alive and serving her regular clients after all gyms were first ordered closed in March 2020, Sofro and her team immediately turned to livestream classes on the internet. Within a week, she had added in-person outdoor classes, and eventually found a temporary home for them in Oak Park near Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
Studio barre3 held multiple daily classes from the stage at the park, which was one of the few locations where the Santa Barbara Parks & Recreation Department allows the use of amplified sound. Music is a big part of the barre3 class experience, so that was no small achievement.
For a full year, from June 2020 to June 2021, Sofro’s loyal clients — myself among them — showed up and worked out under the park’s graceful, namesake oak trees. Although the setting is bucolic, I think we were all relieved when the government-ordered closures were lifted last summer.
A native of Eugene, Oregon, who has lived in Santa Barbara for the past 25 years, Sofro is a lifelong friend of barre3 co-founder and CEO Sadie Lincoln. Seven years ago, she realized her dream of owning her own barre3 franchise.
“Hanging on has been tough, and we are still working really hard to rebuild our business after the hit we took during the long shutdown,” she told Noozhawk.
Sofro credits her clients for keeping her small business going when “it felt like everything was working against us.”
“Knowing that, for some, the outdoor or livestream class was their only real connection with other people that day,” she explained. “That was a powerful motivator to keep pushing forward.”
When it comes to overall health and wellness, Sofro says, a personal connection is as important as exercise.
“Our company was founded on that idea back in 2008,” she said. “COVID-19 came along and really threw us for a loop, but we kept doing what we have always done, which is providing a space for people to come together, feel safe and confident in their bodies and get a highly adaptable, effective workout.”
Now that studio barre3 is fully reopened, at 761 Chapala St. across from Paseo Nuevo, Sofro, her team and their clients are feeling “hopeful and positive about the future.”
On a recent Friday, an energetic and joyous Sofro hosted a seven-year anniversary party with a special, early evening workout class followed by food and wine. Her husband, Jeff, by day a counselor at Santa Barbara High School, was pressed into service as the bartender.
Current and past clients showed up early, but the barre3 camaraderie was the essential feeling.
“Exercise should be fun and should feel good,” Sofro said. “I will keep my doors open to all who want to be healthy and part of our fitness community.”
Click here for more information about studio barre3, along with class schedules and new client specials, or email santabarbara@barre3.com. Mention this column to receive a free class, or use promo code NOOZHAWK.
— Judy Foreman is a Noozhawk columnist and longtime local writer and lifestyles observer. She can be contacted at news@noozhawk.com. Click here for previous columns. The opinions expressed are her own.