Wellness & Spa

Houston – November 10, 2026 -- Citizen Pilates, an independent boutique fitness company, generates approximately $2 million in annual revenue while classifying its full-time instructors as salaried W-2 employees, a model that founder and president Jess Schindler says is rare among independent studios.

Citizen Pilates runs three studios with four profit and loss centers

Schindler founded the Houston-based company in May 2015 and retains full ownership and direct oversight of operations. The business oversees 180 weekly classes and employs more than 22 people.

Company pays full medical and dental premiums for instructors

Most boutique fitness operators rely on 1099 contractors. Citizen Pilates instead covers individual medical and dental premiums in full, offers optional spouse and dependent coverage, and provides a 401(k) plan with an employer match.

Miami – November 10, 2026 -- Biomolecular Life Holdings, Inc. (OTC: BIOM) has agreed to acquire land in Llanogrande, Rionegro, Antioquia, Colombia, from a company owned by its own President and CEO, paying entirely in BIOM shares to fund a planned wellness spa and longevity retreat.

Related-party all-stock deal sets share count by independent appraisal

The seller, BSD SAS, is a Colombian company owned by Jessika Wiesner, BIOM's President and Chief Executive Officer. The number of shares to be issued will be set by an independent appraisal of the property. Because the seller is controlled by the CEO, the transaction is classified as a related-party deal.

Management says the structure adds a real estate asset to the balance sheet and preserves cash for development.

Fort Worth – September 17, 2026 -- BODYBAR Pilates completed the largest reformer Pilates class on record in the United States, gathering 100 participants on 100 reformers in Frisco, Texas, and raising $10,000 for the Foundation for Women's Cancer.

Franchise stages record-setting class tied to two milestones

The 50-minute session, held Sunday, September 13, coincided with the 100th anniversary of Pilates and BODYBAR's own 100th studio opening. The event took place during BODYBAR's annual franchise conference at the Omni Frisco Hotel at The Star and included franchise owners, instructors and media from across the brand's network.

Kamille McCollum, BODYBAR's Chief Brand Officer, President and Co-Founder, led the class alongside a team of certified instructors. She said the event exceeded expectations and reflected the growth of both the Pilates discipline and the franchise's community.

Dallas – September 16, 2026 -- Water Wings Swim School opened its first franchised location in Cypress, Texas on September 5, marking the debut of a national expansion push that now spans 54 awarded franchise units across 16 states. The brand, part of youth enrichment platform Unleashed Brands, launched its franchise program in May 2025.

Cypress location kicks off six openings planned for 2026

The Cypress school, owned by multi-unit operators Arun and Kay Singh, is the first of six franchised Water Wings locations slated to open this year. A second location owned by Ali Robaei opens in Frisco, Texas on September 19, followed by additional schools in Arlington, TX; Billings, MT; Brighton, MI; and Marysville, WA before year-end.

Denver – September 16, 2026 -- VASA Fitness has become the newest HYROX enterprise partner in North America, rolling out dedicated HYROX Training Clubs at 10 locations across five states as the fast-growing functional fitness racing format expands into mainstream gym networks.

Ten clubs across Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Oklahoma and Illinois gain HYROX-specific equipment

Participating VASA locations include Colorado Springs, Aurora and Thornton in Colorado; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Kaysville, Sandy and Orem in Utah; Chandler, Arizona; and Crystal Lake and Romeoville in Illinois. Each site will feature wall-ball target zones, competition-spec weighted medicine balls, push/pull sleds on VASA turf, and battle ropes to support HYROX-style training and competition preparation.

Newport Beach, Calif. – September 16, 2026 -- iFlex Stretch Studios, the assisted stretching franchise under Sequel Brands, has integrated Kinotek's markerless 3D movement assessment technology across its studio network, giving certified stretch therapists AI-driven data to personalize client sessions.

Kinotek's markerless system scans clients in seconds without sensors or wearables

The technology captures a client's body in motion before a session begins, analyzing range of motion, symmetry, and movement quality without requiring markers or sensors. Therapists use the resulting data to build personalized stretching plans, recommend at-home mobility work, and suggest recovery products tailored to individual goals.

Visalia, Calif. – September 16, 2026 -- Crunch Fitness franchisee Fitness Ventures LLC will open a $5 million, 50,000-square-foot club in Visalia, California, in late 2026, marking the company's 26th location in the state.

Crunch Visalia debuts the brand's new 3.0 design format

Located at 3535 S. Mooney Boulevard, the facility will feature Power Half Hour Circuit Training, Olympic lifting platforms, hot yoga, a functional HIITZone with indoor turf, HydroMassage beds, an infrared sauna, a Frost Locker, and Kids Crunch babysitting. Pre-sales open in late 2026, with memberships starting at $9.99 per month. The first 500 founding members will get $1 down, one month free, a t-shirt, and discounts on training packages.

Austin, Texas – September 15, 2026 -- Walden Media Group (WMG) has been designated an approved marketing vendor for CycleBar, the indoor cycling brand operating more than 200 locations within the Extraordinary Brands portfolio.

WMG gains access to CycleBar's 200-plus studio network

The partnership brings WMG's localized performance marketing framework directly to CycleBar franchisees nationwide, targeting rider acquisition and membership growth at the individual studio level.

Lexington – September 13, 2026 -- BODYBAR Pilates has opened its first Kentucky studio at 4257 Harrodsburg Road in Lexington's Palomar neighborhood, expanding the reformer-based franchise's national footprint to 86 locations and more than 21,000 members.

Husband-and-wife team brings franchise to Lexington market

The 2,500-square-foot studio, BODYBAR Pilates Palomar, is owned and operated by Cara Groth, a pharmacist of 23 years, and Jason Groth, a physician assistant. The couple was inspired to pursue the franchise after their daughter, a professional ballerina, began working at a BODYBAR studio in Georgia. The Palomar location features 14 Reformers, group classes led by certified instructors, private lesson sessions during off-peak hours, and a retail boutique.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - April 14, 2026 - WellnessSpace Brands, the Clearwater, Florida-based wellness and recovery equipment company, has launched the PolarWave Dry Plunge, a cold therapy unit that delivers a full-body cold plunge experience without water, plumbing, or sanitation infrastructure. Announced in December 2025, the product is aimed directly at commercial operators - gyms, spas, and recovery studios - for whom traditional cold plunge installations have presented prohibitive logistical and maintenance requirements. The PolarWave Dry Plunge joins a portfolio that now includes HydroMassage, CryoLounge+, RelaxSpace, and the RedZone Sauna, extending WellnessSpace Brands' position across the recovery and wellness technology segment.