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A community wellness center, and much more, opening on North Ashland Avenue
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Centered is a concept developed by Lauren Higdon, and will include a host of other trainers.
Ashland Avenue may run north and south in the city, but the philosophy of Centered, a wellness center which will be opening on the street in June, is most definitely “east meets west.”
Centered, located at 309 N. Ashland Ave., is described as a holistic community center interested in supporting, educating and inspiring people through the moving, visual and healing arts.
“It’s finding cooperation between Eastern and Western thought and philosophy in a holistic way. It’s approaching a person by looking at the big picture, the whole picture,” explained owner Lauren Higdon.
“In opening this center, instead of just looking at it as a way to make money, the holistic way of thinking is: ‘How does this affect my community, my children and many other variables.’”
Higdon’s professional background goes back a dozen years and includes experience with martial arts, Tai Chi and Shiatsu. She went to massage therapy school and appreciated the holistic aspects of the field. Since 2002, she has taught at Lexington Healing Arts and attended their 2011 yoga teacher training program. She’s also had a private practice called Family Bodyworks.
Higdon and about 20 other associates worked together to open Centered, the latest in a series of fitness-related businesses to have opened in the Kenwick and Mentelle neighborhoods, bounded roughly by North Ashland, National and Walton Avenues. Walker Properties is renovating many of the old buildings, such as the one Centered moved into.
The space is multi-functional. When you enter, there’s a 1,000 square foot creative space with a walk-up, made-to-order juice bar called Squeeze. “We are looking at juice as another way for people to heal. There is so much research lately about juices cleansing your body,” Higdon says.
The center of the building is for retail and wellness products for the general public, like exercise balls, yoga mats, organic creams, but also items for what Higdon calls “our community of healers,” like massage therapists and instructors.
There’s what is called a round room, or space for people of all ages to come and “make art.” Kids can use it while their parent or guardian is taking a class or receiving treatment. Local artists will also teach classes, some of them free of charge. There will be a resource library.
Further inside lies one of the largest studios in the city that’s designed for everything from yoga to martial arts, hula hooping, drumming, kids’ classes, workshops and much more.
The back of the building features treatment rooms with therapists who are independent contractors. Some will use non-traditional methods such as CranioSacral Therapy and Thai massage.
“To treat holistically is to look at not only what the person presents at that moment but how they’re eating, what kind of lifestyle they have, where they work, the kind of environmental factors they’re exposed to,” Higdon said.
Joshua Saxton, Centered’s operations manager, calls the place a “community wellness center.”
“I’m extremely excited. Lauren and I have talked about this for a year and a half. I’ve been involved in the massage and yoga community since moving here in 1996, and other therapists and I have dreamed of one center that offers people many treatment modalities. Now we’re making it a reality.”
Matthew Higdon, Lauren Higdon’s brother, helped develop the idea. “It’s exciting,” he said. “It’s bringing together a group of people who are passionate about what they’re doing. Many services are aligned in one building in a way that’s never been done before in Lexington.”
On the business side, Matthew says all therapists and instructors coming to Centered bring established clientele. “So it wasn’t shaky if we didn’t get a hundred people walking through the door on the first day,” he said.
Lauren Higdon, a Lexington native, says it’s special to be based here. “I have always wanted to live in a neighborhood like this. National Avenue, I’ve literally been dreaming of that street since I was a child.” She envisioned a potential business opportunity in the area, saw a business sign for Walker Properties, called co-owner Greg Walker and “pestered him,” as she puts it, with dreams and schemes for Centered. Now, Higdon lives, works and sends her two sons to school all within a few blocks.
“I’ve always wanted to have my own business. My grandparents had a wholesale toy business and my father also had a business. It feels like it comes naturally,” she said. “Now I have one I really believe in and can help my community and myself.”
The Walker Properties reuse development plan for the neighborhood covers about 12 acres. “This is a very exciting time for current tenants and surrounding residents of the area,” said a message on Walker Properties’ website.
“I love what the Walkers are doing in reclaiming part of Lexington and bringing it up to a new level with all these fitness facilities,” Saxton said. “We want to interact and cooperate with all of these places.”