Rachelle Wintzen, founder of Chi Junky, Toronto’s first full-service, music-forward movement studio, launched her business in 2014, long before boutique wellness evolved into the premium category it is today.
Over the past 12 years, she’s built one of Toronto’s most enduring studio brands – and a model that has influenced some of the city’s biggest players.
Her approach to hyper-curated, white-glove movement experiences set a new standard in the industry, which ultimately led Sweat + Tonic to bring her on pre-launch to design their full-service model and movement programming.
“After almost 10 years living in New York and finding so much inspiration there with the level of customer service, creativity of brands, and offerings I used much of that to inspire Chi Junky. When I moved back to Toronto and spent two years studying the Toronto marketplace, I went to almost every single studio in the city. I studied the experience as a customer, what worked, what didn’t and how I could use what I experienced in NYC and Toronto to create Chi Junky,” explained Wintzen.
“The problem I tried to solve in the marketplace stemmed from my own personal struggle (which is the same for many), which was the challenge of trying to get to a class, leaving the house for a long day ahead carrying your gym bag, work bag, yoga mat, water bottle and more. If you forgot your mat it was make or break if I got to the class or not or pay the rental fee for a less desirable rental mat. At the time I was also teaching in home private classes, a service that is a luxury experience and a barrier for most people. That is when the idea for Chi Junky came to me.
“Chi Junky started as a semi-private full service studio that had no more than four people in a class for that individual attention and luxury full service experience. I provided alkaline water, tea service, mats, props and towels all for $25 a person! I wanted to offer a premium experience but at the same competitive price of a standard class drop in fee, I felt strongly that money should not be the breaking point that prevents someone from getting to experience a luxury service. The goal was to make it as easy as possible to get to a class.”
Wintzen said it is hard to believe it has been 12 years, from the humble beginnings of a 150-square-foot room that fit four mats, being a one-woman-show to what the studio has become today – a team of 40 strong and 4,000-square-foot space.
“I never thought the studio would become what it has. I attribute the 12-year success to many things. For one, I never settle. I am constantly seeking ways to improve, innovate and raise the bar within Chi Junky. I am always seeking inspiration not just from within my own industry but a lot from my background which was high end hospitality. I worked in that industry in NYC for almost a decade and that taught me so much and are the principles that I use to drive Chi Junky to this day.
“12 years later you will still find me cleaning the mats, folding our blankets crisply, ensuring I know the names of our members, curating experiences that stem far beyond a typical class and always looking for ways to innovate. I have my hand on everything within the business almost to a fault. Many would say I need to delegate way more but I truly believe that the high level that Chi Junky operates is because I am invested heavily in the small day-to-day details. I also cannot take all the credit, my team is exceptional and they also care deeply about the studio. We love to care for people and while it is a movement studio, we are all in the business of hospitality and customer service first and foremost.”
From day one the vision for Chi Junky was to create a space that felt like a home away from home, noted Wintzen.
“This concept remains the same today, all you have to do is show up and let us take care of the rest. I mean that literally. I never enjoyed schlepping everything I needed for a class all over the city. So I changed that and created the first full service studio. When you come to Chi Junky you just need to show up. There is alkaline water on tap with glasses available so you don’t need to bring that clunky water bottle, towels, mats and all the props you need for each class meticulously laid out for you.
“Each of our signature classes has its own prop – styled set up for you and the best part at the end of each class you just get to get up and leave everything there for us to clean up. This is intentional so you can stay in your post class zen state and not worry about cleaning a mat, putting props away and you can just get on with your day. You can even leave your towel on the floor and we will take care of that for you too. We aim to offer a full-service five-star experience from top to bottom.
“All of our props are premium with lululemon mats and plush props from b,halfmoon. Over the years I have found ways to keep improving the full service experience. We have a manual for how we fold every towel in the building from the restrooms to the sweat towels in the studio. The attention to detail and intention behind every small detail is what makes the Chi Junky experience what it is. Down to folding each blanket perfectly, the Chi Junky way, yes there is a Chi Junky blanket folding method too. Each prop is placed in a certain way to create a visually stunning room to walk into which immediately creates a sense of calm.”
Wintzen said she proudly opened and operated the Chi Junky studio at Sweat and Tonic with large success within its first location in 2019.
“Since my departure, the Chi Junky full-service experience continues to live on at Sweat and Tonic within all locations. When I first started the concept of full-service in the industry 12 years ago this was unheard of, but now I see this becoming almost an expectation within the high-end boutique fitness space. Pre-pandemic we started to see more high end brands start to enter the marketplace however the pandemic heartbreakingly flatlined a lot of studios,” she said.
“We are now seeing a boom in the industry that we have never seen before. More and more premium fitness brands are opening multiple locations and what is really exciting is that for the first time these brands are entering the New York marketplace, which used to be the other way around. Toronto has significantly leveled up the experience and is exploding right now. There is a welcome trend right now of leaning more into wellness as a social outlet where people are looking to adopt a healthier lifestyle and spend their time socializing less and less over drinks and more in the wellness space.
“Places like Chi Junky become where you go to socialize in a healthy way and become the third space, the third most important place in your life you spend the most time, with home as number one, followed by work and then the third space, your wellness space.”
As the boutique fitness space becomes more crowded, what advice would she give to founders trying to build a wellness brand with true staying power?
“Stay true to your intention, values and integrity. Lean into what your unique offering is and never settle. Once you find your concept that sticks, keep innovating and raising the bar within your own offering,” she said.
“Never stay too long in something comfortable, live in the discomfort of always striving to do better. Even if your space doesn’t have all the bells and whistles or deep pockets, get really resourceful, get scrappy (that is true entrepreneurship), and never compromise on exceptional customer service. Above all invest heavily in taking care of your community, they are what will give you staying power against all odds.”
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As a true OG Chi Junky, I can vouch for Rachelle’s tenacity and the “second home” feeling her studio has given to the Chi community. I found my yoga footing there, personally thanks to Rachelle herself, was hooked and never looked back. If I still lived in TO I would be there every day I could! There is nothing like a class at Chi Junky. Thank you Rachelle and every Chi who’s ever worked there. You helped set me on a path that I needed to be on. If anyone is questioning taking a class, just do it. Then get a membership. Worth every penny!