COVID-19 VICTIM: beloved Absolute Center in Lafayette to close down

Owners Katie, Louise and Claudia (L to R)

The Absolute Center in Lafayette, long a pioneer in the art of mindful movement-based therapies, has announced it will be closing on Sept. 18th as a result of the economic toll of being shuttered for months due to business operating restrictions placed by COVID-19. Owners Katie, Claudia and Louise made the announcement in an e-mail to their clients this morning, admitting “businesses like ours are a labor of love and do not allow for deep coffers that would allow us to continue through what we see will be a very long period of opening and closing during this pandemic.”

The Center opened in 2003 and has long been considered one of the premier Pilates-based training facilities, serving clients with neurological deficits while teaching future generations of Pilates instructor. In fact, their teachings took them to various countries in the world.

With the shutdowns imposed on various types of businesses, Absolute could not free itself from a category of businesses, gyms, that have been restricted from opening. “While some in our industry have chosen to open, whether with blessings or not, our highest mission has always been the health and happiness of our clients and our staff. We feel the risk to both in dispensing our services is beyond what we are willing to take,” said the three owners in their statement.

The owners will continue with their teacher training sessions, on a virtual basis for now, while flushing out how to handle their other virtual classes and provide their clients information on how to stay connected with the teachers.