Bodybar Pilates to open first New York studio, in Melville
Bodybar in Melville will offer multiple classes with specialized equipment that can accommodate up to 14 students at a time, said Arielle Bonnici, studio manager of the new Bodybar in Melville. She is shown on Monday. Credit: Barry Sloan
The first Bodybar Pilates in New York will open in Melville next week, part of a growing health and wellness industry around the country and on Long Island.
The nearly 8,000 square-foot studio on Walt Whitman Road has already sold more than 75 memberships ahead of its Oct. 13 open date, studio manager Arielle Bonnici said. The Texas-based brand has more than 60 locations around the country, with 20 more in development.
There's been a global "increase in boutique fitness," led by Pilates, yoga and barre, said Melissa Naeder, senior director at global commercial real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield. "Especially since the pandemic, there's been a shift in the consciousness of health. People are willing to spend more money on these smaller boutique fitness brands that they feel they're getting their more individual needs catered to."
There are nearly 40 Pilates studios on Long Island, according to data from CoStar, the commercial real estate data and analytics company behind Apartments.com.
The industry is expected to continue to grow, too, said Brittany Granby, vice president of marketing at Bodybar. "Market forecasts converge around 8 to 9% annual growth globally, with the market projected to more than double between 2025 and 2035."
The company is continuing to expand its national footprint, and is seeking more franchise partners, including on Long Island, she said.
The growing industry was worth around $176 billion worldwide in 2025, and is expected to reach a global value of nearly $421 billion by 2032, according to market research company Future Data Stats.
Pilates was also the number one workout in 2024 on the fitness subscription platform ClassPass, with 84% growth from the previous year, a dominance the company attributed to "strong social media presence and devoted following."
Reformer Pilates specifically "has seen a surge in popularity driven by trends toward wellness, functional movement, and lower-impact exercises," Granby said.
Multiple classes
Bodybar in Melville will offer multiple classes with specialized equipment that can accommodate up to 14 students at a time, teaching "classic Pilates with a modern twist," Bonnici said.
The first class in Melville is free, Bonicci said. Prices will vary, with a single class costing $38 and a 10-class pack at $350. A special founding member unlimited classes pass at $251 a month expires on Sunday, she said.
"Long Island residents value high-quality, community-focused wellness, and we wanted to create a place where people can strengthen their bodies, recharge their minds, and connect with others," said Maude Schwartz, owner of the Melville studio, in an email.
The exercise, which has gained in popularity since its invention in the early 20th century, focuses on "strengthening and toning, elongating the body — mainly the core," Bonnici said.
The workout routine "helps build strength from the inside out" and is "great for your core, posture, flexibility — all those stabilizing muscles that support your back and joints," said Cara D'Orazio, a Huntington-based personal trainer and fitness instructor at C.G.M. Fitness Inc.
It's also mentally grounding and helps with stress, she said, noting that she has noticed increased interest in Pilates among Long Islanders post-pandemic.
"People started caring more about how they feel rather than just how they look," she said via email. "A lot of people realized they wanted something low-impact but still effective. Plus, there are so many reformer studios opening up now and tons of online options — it’s become really accessible, which helps."
The Melville Bodybar Pilates studio will join an already thriving fitness industry in the hamlet, which has multiple businesses based around exercise, said Melville Chamber of Commerce President David Gustin, who expressed enthusiasm about a new Pilates studio joining the business community.
The studio's location along Route 110 should also help its exposure to new customers, he said.
Boutique fitness tenants like Bodybar tend to draw foot traffic that's helpful for other nearby retail tenants, Naeder said. "It fits well into strip malls, shopping centers. The rental rates and tenant expectations are creeping upward because we have such an increased demand. ... We are, on Long Island, at an all-time low as far as vacancy, since 2004."
Brianne Ledda covers personal finance and affordability for Newsday. She previously covered Southold and Greenport for The Suffolk Times and is a graduate of Stony Brook University.
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