The coronavirus health crisis has claimed its first commercial victim–the owners of JoyRide announced last Friday afternoon that they were closing the spin studio chain’s Wilton location. Pointing to the economic impact on small businesses, owner Amy Hochhauser told GOOD Morning Wilton, “Due to the current pandemic crisis, we’ve had to take a tough look at our expenses and footprint in CT. In order to keep the company going, we had to make the difficult choice to close one of our CT locations and consolidate resources/manage expenses.”

She said that she and co-owner Rhodie Lorenz chose Wilton because it’s geographically close to other JoyRide studios, including Ridgefield, Westport, and Darien. JoyRide also owns another Connecticut studio in New Haven.

JoyRide opened its Wilton studio in September 2015.

Hochhauser said that the decision was not easy and that they will miss being part of the Wilton business community. “We’re so grateful to the entire Wilton community for the incredible support and memories. It’s truly a special town and we are going to miss it like crazy!”

In a letter the studio sent to JoyRide members and riders the owners wrote, “in order for JoyRide to survive this crisis, we must decrease our expenses and consolidate our resources in our Connecticut region. The silver lining here is that by making this difficult choice, we can confidently re-open (once permitted and deemed safe by the state) our other four Connecticut locations in a sustainable way to support our team and satisfy our commitments.”

Dear Beloved JoyCommunity,

Our team has been working diligently to ensure that our brand, and our incredible community, can survive together during this unprecedented time challenge. As a company, we pride ourselves upon our adaptability and grit. However, this new reality is difficult for a small business like ours. So, after taking a close look at the expenses and obligations we face, we’ve made the painful choice to not reopen our Wilton studio once the state-mandated closure is lifted.

We know that this is heartbreaking for our Wilton riders and staff. We, too, are incredibly sad. However, in order for JoyRide to survive this crisis, we must decrease our expenses and consolidate our resources in our Connecticut region. The silver lining here is that by making this difficult choice, we can confidently re-open (once permitted and deemed safe by the state) our other four Connecticut locations in a sustainable way to support our team and satisfy our commitments. This includes Westport, Darien, Ridgefield, and New Haven.

What does this mean for our Wilton riders:

  • Any rider who identifies Wilton as their “home studio,” can use their remaining credits at any other JoyRide location. Credits are not studio-specific. Please note, these credits can also be used NOW to enJOY our Zoom classes online.
  • As a BIG thank you for your understanding and kindness, we’d like to offer all Active Wilton customers (Active = customers who visited our Wilton studio in February or March) a FREE WEEK to visit one of our neighboring studios in Westport, Darien, Ridgefield or Wilton. If you are a JoyChampion member, we will add a free month to your account.
  • Should the above apply to you, simply email JoyRide. 

JoyRide is tremendously grateful for all of the support that our Wilton riders, and the community at large, have shown us over the past five years. JoyRide Wilton has been an amazing example of strength and joy — we will never forget the inspiring charity rides, the incredible teamwork, the close-knit community, as well as the lifelong friendships that have been made along the way.

We give an extra-special thank you to our legendary team of instructors and staff whose dedication and passion made JoyRide Wilton the incredible studio it is today. And don’t worry – you will still be able to ride with your favorite instructors! The Wilton team will be offered opportunities at our other Connecticut locations!

We have been working diligently to fortify our cleaning processes and safety procedures to ensure that we will be able to ride together in the future. Stay tuned for more detailed information in the coming weeks about our new protocols. We will continue to obey state and federal mandates, and work closely with healthcare professionals to ensure that we are ready to proceed safely when the time is right.

The JoyRide family is our EVERYTHING and we will continue to work hard to stay connected and inspire one another in-studio and online. Thank you for your loyalty and your believing in us, and to the community of Wilton – thank you for being you.

If you have questions, comments or concerns, don’t hesitate to email.

Be safe. Be well. Choose Joy.

Team JoyRide