Melissa Feeney

If you live in a mid-size to large metropolis or its surrounding suburbs in the United States, you’ve surely seen a Pure Barre before. With over 500 locations in North America and an expanding global footprint, more on that later, the world’s biggest barre chain has legions of fans and dare I say it, a cult-like following? Full disclosure, I had an annual membership for a period of time.

Pure Barre is a franchise with a pretty firm set of let’s call them operating procedures. Love it or hate it, like a Holiday Inn or a Subway sandwich restaurant you kind of know what to expect when you walk into any one of their locations. They stick to a template and follow it very closely, so you won’t find a lot of variety between studios other than the type of merch available for sale or the local events they support.

Who owns Pure Barre?

Pure Barre is part of the now publicly-traded company Xponential Fitness Inc., which owns boutique fitness brands like CycleBar, Club Pilates, StretchLab, YogaSix, among others. Xponential Fitness acquired the Pure Barre brand in 2018.

Pure Barre operates as a franchise model, with individuals owning mostly single studios, some with multiple locations.

Who started Pure Barre?

Former Founder and CEO of Pure Barre, Carrie Dorr kicked everything off in 2001 with a small boutique studio in Michigan. Initially, Carrie had no intentions of franchising her business. That is until people started asking if they could open their own locations. She found someone who was a good fit to run a second location and that is when licensing came into the picture.

After launching about a dozen locations along the East Coast, Carrie expanded to the West Coast. At the time she was bootstrapping a lot of the business, without investors or cash. She would open a new location, teach and build up that studio, find someone who was interested in buying that location and then move on to the next. Eventually turning the concept into a franchise model. In 2012 Pure Barre had 71 franchised locations in 23 US states.

Looking for infrastructure and liquidity, Carrie knew it was time to bring in a private equity firm to help grow the business, so the company partnered with WJ Partners. In 2015 L Catterton, a consumer-focused private equity firm was looking to acquire the Pure Barre brand so they hired Arlington Capital Advisors to assist in its acquisition of Pure Barre from WJ Partners.

In October 2018 Xponential Fitness Inc., announced it would be acquiring Pure Barre to add to its growing portfolio of brands.

What to expect when you take a class at Pure Barre

Many Pure Barre studios have a similar footprint. Upon entering a studio you’ll walk into the reception area, which has a desk, chairs or bench and a retail area featuring a mix of branded and non-branded merch.

Some retail areas are extensive and could be considered a brick and mortar store in and of themselves, depending on how much inventory the studio owner decides to order and sell.

You’ll check in on the iPad if you reserved a spot ahead of time, then make your way to the space just outside the double doors to the studio if another class is in session.

Depending on the layout, washrooms will either be near the front of the building or in the back, so you would need to walk through the studio, to get to the washrooms. A cubby area where you can put your things while you’re taking a class is also provided. Sometimes there will be small change rooms on-site, but many locations I’ve been to don’t have enough space for them.

There’s also a section of a wall dedicated to milestones. These are barres that celebrate client achievements. For every class milestone you hit you get to sign your name on the barre. Starting at 100 classes, followed by 250, 500, 1000, 1500 etc.

Depending on the location and the studio owner, you’ll receive all sorts of rewards for your achievements. From branded grippy socks that say “100 club” to celebratory drinks and photo ops. The greater the achievement, the more effort most owners usually put into rewarding clients.

Beyond the double doors lies the actual studio where you take the class. It’s in here you’ll find a carpeted floor, which is said to have antimicrobial fibres to help protect against the growth of odour-causing bacteria. A barre frames the perimeter of the room, and there are usually mirrors on at least two of the walls. Some owners will invest in some fancy statement walls for some added decoration.

You’ll take a seat in the center of the room unless you’re taking a Reform class. If you’re taking a Classic class, you’ll need to grab a ball, double tube and a light pair of hand weights. You have the option of also grabbing a heavier pair. If you are taking an Empower or Reform class, the equipment will already be laid out for you. Hand weights are optional.

The instructor will sometimes come into the studio a few minutes ahead of time and introduce her or himself to new students and ask if anyone has any injuries. This is a great time to speak up if you do require any modifications.

Once the music starts, the teacher will instruct everyone to stand up and then the workout will start. I won’t go into the details of each class format, since you can find those details in the articles on Empower and Reform but if you are taking a Classic class, the format is as follows: Warm-up, arms, thighs, seat, abs, and stretch. In the last five minutes of class, the instructor will dim the lights for the bridgework/back dancing and stretching section. By the end of class, the lights will be completely turned off, which is a nice way to end class.

The Pure Barre Class Format

Types of Classes

Pure Barre’s signature class is called Classic a 50-minute workout rooted in their classic technique. Featuring a combination of low-impact and high-intensity exercises that utilize a double tube, barre, ball and small hand weights.

If you want a hybrid of barre and HIIT, then Empower, their more cardio-focused class might be appealing to you. Using ankle weights and a plyometric platform, this 45-minute class will elevate your heart rate while building strength. Think of it as a mix of barre and interval training while working different muscle groups simultaneously.

For more on Empower, read our review of the class.

For resistance training fans, Reform might be the class for you. Using resistance bands, sliders and the barre, this 50-minute total body barre workout merges elements from the classic pure barre technique while challenging your strength, coordination and balance in a resistance-based strength training workout.

For more on Reform, read our review of the class.

If you’re new to Pure Barre, or even barre in general, their introductory class Foundations is a good way to get a solid understanding of their format and learn the basics of the technique. This class is taught at a slower pace and breaks down each movement so you can understand the mechanics. It is only offered to new clients and is not on the schedule as frequently as other classes.

A Pure Barre retail area.

Virtual Offerings

Throughout the pandemic, many studios pivoted to online class options. Many studios still offer live streaming options for clients who would prefer the virtual experience.

Pure Barre corporate also has its own digital platform called GO. The idea is that you have the ability to enjoy Pure Barre when and where you want so you are not committed to a studio’s schedule. Classes vary in length from 5 to 60 minutes.

Pure Barre GO will provide you with the classes on demand, but there’s something about being in a studio that you can’t replicate at home. Perhaps it’s the hands-on corrections (in a pre-pandemic world) or the camaraderie between instructors and clients or among clients that gives the in-person experience that je ne sais quoi.

Of course, the on-demand option is a great one for anyone who is looking to save some money and wants access to the classes whenever they like. For about $30 per month, this is much more accessible than monthly class memberships in-studio that can run you upwards of $200 a month, depending on the location.

A Tuck & Glow class at Pure Barre

Other offerings

Pure Barre has a number of events and promotions throughout the year including “Wine down Wednesdays,” “Tuck & Glow,” barre pop-ups in breweries, wineries, retail stores, and just about any other place you can think of.

Platinum Barre and other monthly challenges

Like most boutique barre studios and franchises, Pure Barre loves a friendly competition. Challenges are set up to encourage client retention and incentivize those who need a little more accountability. There are most always prizes involved at the end of each challenge.

Take, for instance, Pure Barre’s Platinum Barre Challenge. Not only do you need to meet a monthly class target of roughly 12-15 classes, depending on your location, but you must meet this target each month for a whole year if you want to be able to sign the coveted platinum barre, that only those who complete this year-long task can sign.

For other monthly barre challenges like Barre Bingo, you are mostly competing with fellow clients but studios also compete against each other for most completions. An advantage that a big brand has over its competitors.

What makes this technique and brand different?

The lighting – Have you noticed that Pure Barre studios have carefully controlled lighting that gets dimmer as you go? The studios are usually beyond the reception area where the only natural light that comes in from the double doors is from the street and is quite minimal, so studios have a cozier feeling.

They call out your name in class – This is not unique to Pure Barre, but one thing you’ll find during class is that instructors have the unenviable task of trying to remember every client’s name so they can be called out during class. Don’t worry, only positive reinforcement is heard over the mic.

It’s addictive – Now, of course, you can say this about any competing brand or fitness studio, but in my experience, once you get past the first few classes many people become hooked on the structured experience and find themselves going 3 to 4 or more times per week. It’s hard to label or put a finger on what exactly makes this workout so addictive. Perhaps it’s the structure. Instructors stick with a very specific script and don’t venture far from it.

Maybe it’s the strong class sequencing. While individual exercises in each section generally vary, each class follows a very specific template so you know what to expect. This templated workout is also what people have critiqued Pure Barre for in the past, promoting a one-size-fits-all workout, and cultivating sameness with everyone wearing similar grippy socks, tank tops and leggings.

What I love about Pure Barre

The workout – First and foremost, I love the workout. I do think I get a lot out of every class. It has the right amount of challenge without being overly punishing. Plus working on your mind-body connection and fine-tuning the intricate movements keeps you coming back for more. Choreography changes every quarter, so although you know what the general framework is for class, the individual exercises vary by class and instructor.

The community – For as large of a company as they’ve become, I still do think there is a great community involved at each location. It’s not unusual to see people lingering around the reception area after class, chatting with instructors and fellow clients. It’s one of the things I loved most about Pure Barre.

Consistency – Like I mentioned earlier, for better or worse Pure Barre is a franchise so you’re going to have consistency in the brand from one location to the next. If you’re on vacation and stop into the area’s local Pure Barre, you know approximately where to grab your equipment from and how to navigate your way around the studio.

Criticisms of Pure Barre

For all the die-hard fans and hundreds of thousands of clients, Pure Barre has had its fair share of criticism, especially when Xponential took over, which took away some of that special sauce.

Some have said the forced makeovers of all locations by the parent company have made the studios feel more sterile and corporate. For reference, they used to have a rustic-chic vibe. Others see it as a fresh start and a rejuvenation of the brand.

Profits Over Public Safety

The pandemic has seemed to exacerbate a lot of the issues I’ve had with Xponential. While the case counts were roaring in the summer of 2020, Xponential filed a lawsuit against the government of Arizona for closing gyms and fitness boutiques. We know exercise is good for your physical and mental health, however, it shouldn’t come at the cost of your employees and clients. The lawsuit was thrown out by a federal judge who ruled that the mandated closures of gyms should stand.

For any company about to go public you want to pad the business as best you can so you put it in the best possible light to potential investors. However, the optics of doing this in the middle of a pandemic while owners are barely scraping by didn’t quite sit well with me.

I’ll just leave it at this, with a statement from the company’s prospectus as reported in MarketWatch recently. “A substantial portion of our revenue is derived from royalty fees and other fees and commissions generated from activities associated with franchisees and equipment sales to franchisees.” Enough said!

Staff receive little pay for a tonne of work

Anecdotally, I’ve seen a lot of turnover at my Pure Barre location. The owner will hire new instructors every year, while the veterans who stay on for maybe two years tops eventually move on.

Part of the reason could be that instructors devote quite a bit of their time to the studio. From teaching weekly classes, taking obligatory classes on their own time to further their practice albeit don’t have to pay for to learning new choreography and sticking around after class to answer questions, you really have to love the brand and believe in the Pure Barre experience.

It’s a badly kept secret that instructors are not paid a huge sum of money for their efforts paid or otherwise. There’s a lot of unpaid prep work that goes into creating a class and like a school teacher who is expected to grade assignments outside of regular hours, instructors are not compensated for this extracurricular work that comes with the gig.

They are also not compensated for bringing in sales via their social media word-of-mouth marketing or leads that they happen to drum up from chatting to clients. Employees receive no benefits or sick pay, so most instructors do this gig on the side with another source of income.

If you’re looking for a part-time job that helps you build confidence and gives you experience in commanding a room, while enjoying a workout that you would be doing anyway, you might appreciate working here.

Training

While each studio owner decides if the prospective instructor should pay out of pocket or get a subsidy for their training, there has been some criticism about how Pure Barre expects applicants to pay for their training upfront before they are hired, even if some of the money might come back to you after an active year of teaching. According to this LA Times article from May 2021, new recruits may be expected to pay about $1,800 USD out of pocket before they are even considered for the job.

When you are tapped by a studio owner as a potential candidate for instructing, you have to go to a training course. There they will teach you the Pure Barre way and you will be expected to familiarize yourself with their format. Unlike a universal certificate program that allows you to teach barre anywhere, you will only be able to teach Pure Barre. Instructors are subject to a non-compete, preventing them from teaching for another brand.

Is it ethical to have your job applicants pay for training, without any guarantee of a job? The jury is out.

Some things I’m on the fence about

Zero tolerance late policy – This one I kind of get. You’ve most likely been to a boutique fitness class where a client walks in late. Despite their best efforts to sneak in quietly, it’s always distracting. I understand why they lock the doors once class starts, but it can be a little frustrating when you are literally 30 seconds late and you just hauled your body downtown to get to a class 30 minutes away.

The dress code – When I first started taking classes, I thought it was absurd that they had a rule about not showing your midriff or having to wear leggings that were at least 3/4 length. The rationale I was given was that in order to keep your body warm throughout the workout, covering up helped do that. Another good reason is to protect your skin from some serious rug burn on the carpets! They may be good for your grippy socks to gain some traction but can also feel very uncomfortable on your bare skin.

International Expansion

Xponential Fitness Inc. has some serious growth plans for the Pure Barre brand. There are already nearly 550 locations in North America, and the parent company has set their sights on international expansion for 2021 and beyond.

The brand has partnered with LifeFit Group, to bring the boutique fitness concept to Germany and Austria. Their plan is to open the first studio in Germany in 2021.

Elsewhere, deals are in the works for the middle east and Asia.

In Conclusion

Pure Barre is popular for a reason. They wouldn’t have accumulated so much success over the last two decades if they had been a run of the mill boutique fitness brand.

Have you tried a Pure Barre class or are you a regular at one of their studios? What do you like or not like about their classes and the overall brand experience? Leave a comment below.