THOMASTON — Whenever Emily Medonis thinks about having to close Akasa, her fitness and wellness studio, tears well up in her eyes.
Yet, she said, she has no choice. The three-year-old business, at 76 Watertown Road, will close in April if no buyer comes forward.
The coronavirus pandemic, the sudden death of her brother in an accident, and family obligations have led Medonis to “a perfect storm,” she said, of having to close the 1,500-foot studio, which she owns with Sarah McAuliffe of Bethlehem.
She said she will miss the studio’s “special vibe and connection to others.”
“Since the beginning, I always wanted it to be a place of empowerment,” said Medonis, of the studio, which offers a wide variety of classes, including total body circuit, spin, and Zumba.
“There’s nothing that empowers me more than empowering others with that feeling you get when you just feel good, and your connections to others — they go hand in hand,” Medonis said.
But circumstances have changed.
In 2019, Medonis’ brother Ben March died suddenly in a car accident at the age of 39. March was the owner of March Farm in Bethlehem, and after his death, Medonis began helping on the fourth-generation farm in Litchfield County.
“My brother was a huge part of the farm,” said Medonis, of Bethlehem. “His ideas to make it more of a destination than just the farm really brought it to the next level.”
When March died, she said she wanted to help fill the void left by him, so, along with her other brother Tommy, she started spending hours there, and less time at the studio.
Then the pandemic happened, and the studio closed for three months.
“We tried online classes for a little while,” said Medonis, adding there were many technical difficulties and poor reception.
By the time the studio was able to reopen, Medonis had lost 75 percent of her clients.
In the summer months, she held some outdoor classes on the March farm, such as yoga, total body, and using a ball. When indoor classes started up again, there were not enough spin bikes or space in the yoga room to safely social distance, according to Medonis, noting she had briefly considered expanding the business.
“We sold a few bikes to help keep us afloat,” she said.
Her three-year lease is now due and she doesn’t have the funds to pay the rent, she said.
“With the way things are going and not having the money to pay rent right now, plus me not knowing what my future holds, my heart now is on the farm and I can’t wear that many hats,” said Medonis, a mother of four.
But she said she would like her clients to stay dedicated to their fitness and friends.
“If corona is going to teach us anything, it’s the importance of taking care of your own body in a healthy way, but also forming healthy connections with other healthy people,” she said.
Since announcing the news about the business closing on social media, Medonis said she received a large outpouring of support and thank yous. She said she’s feeling very optimistic that someone is going to step up and offer to buy it.
“Akasa is so special because it connects so many different kinds of people. I don’t want to take that away from the community,” she said, through tears. “I still want to be a part of it.”
