Over the last several years, the changing occupancy in Wilton’s office and commercial spaces has created a new health and wellness corridor along Danbury Rd. More recently, at least three additional smaller independent businesses in the wellness sector — all owned by Wilton residents — now dot Wilton’s main thoroughfare.
GOOD Morning Wilton reached out to the owners of Athleto Pilates, Rhoswyn Wellness and Deep Tissue Thai to learn more about the unique solutions each is offering.
Athleto Pilates, 261 Danbury Rd.
Wilton resident Kyla Scott decided to open Athleto Pilates to fill a void she saw in the Wilton area.
“We moved here four years ago from [New York City], but I couldn’t find what I was looking for here in terms of a studio,” Scott said. “So I decided to create it.”
“I was looking for a contemporary reformer studio” and a faster-paced, “athletic reformer” workout, Scott said, referring to the distinctive apparatus used.
The studio, which opened in January, boasts 10 reformers in a layout that is surprisingly spacious, considering the diminutive appearance of the storefront.
“It’s much bigger than you think,” said Scott. “It’s so small from the front, but everybody always says that when they walk in, it seems so much bigger.”
“We have a lot of athletes that come in… we work with avid golfers, tennis players, local dance teams, sports teams,” Scott continued. “They all like Pilates as a complement to their sports training because it really balances out the body. It works on symmetry.”
Scott spoke with particular pride about the successful teen class that began running after school, drawing a diverse group of students — and not just student-athletes.
“It works for every kind of kid, honestly,” she said. “We see guys, we see girls, we see kids from other districts… that teen class has been really rewarding, because they try really hard, and they love it.”
Scott worked with the school district to arrange for school busses from Middlebrook and Wilton High School to stop directly at the studio after school. The classes will pick up again when school starts.
Scott noted that the studio also offers some classical Pilates methods, and works with individuals at all fitness levels in classes or private instruction. She offers a free trial class, or a private introduction to the reformer.
She encourages anyone curious to give it a try — and she predicts they’ll be hooked.
“You just gotta rip off the Band-Aid and do the first one,” she said. “And then after that, you’re like, when can I go back?”
Rhoswyn Wellness, 196 Danbury Rd.
When Wilton residents Jerry Griffin and Anna Louise Williams opened the doors to Rhoswyn Wellness in June, the couple had a vision to be not just a new yoga studio, but also a wellness partner for the Wilton community.
Located just south of Sharp Hill Square and anchoring Hastings Square, Rhoswyn Wellness features two full yoga studios — one on the first floor and a hot yoga studio upstairs — with the motto, “All wellness, all welcome.”
“We’re feeling like we’re answering the community’s call here,” Griffin said. “The biggest question we got asked was, ‘are you going to be offering stuff for kids’?”
Starting this fall, Rhoswyn will offer age-targeted classes, starting with Rhoswyn Littles (toddlers through second grade), Rhoswyn Kids (grades 3–5), Rhoswyn Juniors (grades 6-8) and Rhoswyn YA (young adult, for grades 9-12).
Griffin emphasized that Rhoswyn’s youth offerings are not just for athletes, though he expects athletes of all ages will continue to participate in their programs developed for enhancing specific sports.
Williams, who holds numerous certifications including yoga sports science, is keenly aware of the benefits of yoga for athletes, particularly young athletes who may be overly focused on strength.
“There is a huge lack of flexibility and that kind of protective physicality,” she said. “That’s where yoga — and very targeted yoga, intelligent yoga sequencing — can improve range of motion” and other benefits.
Williams also stressed the mental benefits of yoga as a tool to manage teens’ rising levels of anxiety and stress — something adults can benefit from as well.
Though yoga is central to the studio’s offerings, the founders intentionally chose “wellness” for the company name to reflect their ultimate goal.
“We want to be a part of this community. We want to be partners with this community,” said Griffin, referring to residents as well as Wilton schools and businesses. “We’re not just the transactional class space… we want to turn our brand into something that is a pride for Wilton as much as it is for us.”
Deep Tissue Thai, 70 Danbury Rd., 2B
Wilton resident Matthew Wakem initially established Deep Tissue Thai in Westport, but quickly realized the location and space were not ideal for his unique practice, which he says is primarily aimed at those suffering from chronic pain and various other conditions.
After a transition period operating within a yoga studio in Wilton Center, Wakem has settled into his ideal hometown setting in South Wilton., near the intersection of Grumman Hill Rd. and Danbury Rd.
“It’s a more central spot between Westport, Norwalk and Wilton, but I’ve had people come all the way from Greenwich to Fairfield,” Wakem said, noting his location’s accessibility to major highways and its ample parking.
Wakem describes his approach as “a rare form of bodywork” derived from ancient Eastern healing practices and using “longheld compression” — a method he strongly distinguishes from traditional massage or assisted stretching. He sees his work as complementary to other practices — especially yoga.
His most popular offering, the “Fire Session,” typically lasts three hours and involves slow, targeted pressure applied along the body’s “energy lines”.
“It is incredible for dealing with chronic pain and stress. We’re getting into those spots where people have had ‘stuck pain’,” he said, adding that “emotional pain” is sometimes at the root of the problem.
Wakem is candid about the intensity of the experience.
“What I always tell people is that this isn’t about avoiding pain — it’s about meeting it,” he said.
“It can be a little intense,” he continued, “but clients are very much in control” with sessions tailored to a client’s input and feedback during a session.
Wakem has observed that his clients are often overwhelmed by their condition, which can be for a variety of reasons other than an injury — whether lack of self-care, a sedentary lifestyle, education, or access to treatment.
“So many people end up just living with it, [but] you don’t have to live with pain,” Wakem said.