Hundreds turn out to Barre3 in the Park.
Could Portland, Oregon be the barre capital of the world? Now before you say, “What about New York or LA?” Hear me out. Yes, LA alone has at least 6 Pure Barre studios in the city and immediate surrounding area. However, they also have a large enough population to support a franchise in nearly every neighbourhood. Relatively, Portland has a population of about 609,000, which is one-sixth the size of Los Angeles and yet they are home to more than a dozen barre-specific studios.
No doubt the biggest player in Portland is Barre3, one of the major barre businesses in the fitness game. Along with their flagship studio and headquarters, they have five additional studios, hosting an average 280 classes per week.
It’s not unusual to see hundreds came out to their annual Barre3 in the Park event, or wake up at the crack of dawn to attend a class before sunrise at any one of their 6 locations each week.
The city is also home to Pure Barre, The Bar Method and Xtend Barre, 3 locations from Portland barre franchise Industrial Barre and some independents like The Pilates Barre and Mod Physique. That is roughly one barre studio for every 43,000 people. No matter which neighbourhood you live in, you’re more likely than not to be a stone’s throw away from a barre business.
The Barre3 flagship studio in Portland, Oregon.
Whether or not you agree with Portland being the barre capital of the world, there is no denying that Portland is full of barre fanatics.
Why is barre so popular in this mid-size city?
Is a Portlander more likely to value physical activity? Are they ahead of the curve? I have a feeling that Portland might be a more fit conscious community but if someone from Portland could chime in, that would be great.
Do you think Portland is the barre capital of the world, or would you give bragging rights to another city? Let us know in the comments.
You are correct! Portland is full of very fit conscious individuals!