Looking to get in shape? Relieve stress through yoga?
Downtown Elizabethton recently unveiled a new solution. The Elizabethton/Carter County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, April 28, to recognize the grand opening of Ascend Yoga and Fitness – located at 429 ½ E Elk Ave., across the road from Sweetsie Treats.
Andrea and Joel Gomez operate the facility and were all smiles during the ceremony as they watched their dreams become a reality.
“(Andrea) is actually from Hampton and I retired from the Army in 2013. We always wanted to move back here and be in the fitness industry,” Joel said. “We talked about doing something like this before I retired and this opportunity came up and it proved to be perfect for us.”
Andrea seconded her husband’s sentiment, stating the love of the community was the key reason of opening Ascend Yoga and Fitness.
“We love Carter County, and we really wanted to give people in the area an opportunity to not have to go to Johnson City, Bristol or Kingsport. It’s local. They can come by during their lunch hour, stop by after work. We’re really excited about the future.”
Both owners were complimentary of the downtown businesses that have shown their support during the transition. Joel added The Coffee Company donated a free meal during a raffle ticket event during the grand opening.
The facility will offer a variety of activities, Andrea explained, ranging from fitness boot camps, yoga workshops, circuit training, and other traditional favorites.
“We also want to stay on trend, too,” she said.
Joel said the goal is to have individuals inside the building but also encourage getting outside and enjoying the terrain of Northeast Tennessee.
“We definitely want the input from folks,” Joel said. “Especially since we’re just starting out. We want to have their input and what they’d like to see. We have a schedule made up now, but we can adjust once we find out people’s thought about what they want to do and see how that goes.”
Ascend will offer classes throughout the week, except for Sundays. Andrea also added Saturdays would be reserved for boot camps and yoga workshops.
Individuals wanting to learn more about the facility or want to attend can email info@ascendyogaandfitness or call (423) 737-1275.
The business also has a Facebook page online, which can be found by typing “Ascendyogaandfitness” on the site’s search engine.