Replenish: Black-owned spa emphasizes caring for self and others after finding inspiration in family traditions

Tyler Saunders
Wed, 10 Feb 2021 01:06:23 +0000
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Deja and Chanelle enjoying a spa day together. Credit: Courtesy of Rachel Joy Barahl

Self-care and yoga are influenced by family practices at Replenish, a Black-owned, family-run spa and yoga studio.?

Replenish, a “spa co-op,” according to their Facebook page, is run by Wauvette Redman and her daughters, Deja and Chanelle. The business opened in 2010 when the trio found inspiration from their family practice of caring for others.?

“We come from a lineage that cares about others and are teachers of care. We realize that our job responsibility in this generation is to evolve the care,” Deja Redman said.?

Redman said their great-grandmother was an herbalist who specialized in using natural and organic herbs and homemade essential oils for the body.?

“We had some farming in our family, so our origins are original and organic,” Redman said.?

The spa services are influenced by this aspect. According to its website, Replenish and its services are centered around the idea of “the recycling of giving and receiving.”

Replenish offers six spa packages to choose from, which include facial massages, manicures and pedicures. A popular package, specifically targeted toward people who find themselves giving more than they are receiving in their day-to-day life, is “The Caregiver”: a package that includes a facial along with a hand and foot massage, Redman said.?

In addition to having spa packages, Replenish also offers spa gatherings. Redman said spa gatherings include a complimentary get-together with friends or family in a private room with their choice of service for one to three hours.?

“We personalize everything to fit what’s happening in real time for the group,” Redman said.?

Due to the ongoing pandemic, all spa gatherings must now be limited to groups with fewer than 10 people.

The spa is located at 124 S. Washington Ave. Before COVID-19, Redman said Replenish offered yoga classes at the Carriage House, a house on the property dedicated to the yoga practice.?

The yoga sessions normally include four classes that focus on breathing and poses. One of the classes offered is the “life restore” class, designed to be done at a slow pace to help individuals feel relaxed and restorative.?

The yoga facet of Replenish is designed to work for anyone who wants to partake. Monique McCrystal, co-creator of the Carriage House and a teacher at the studio, said the goal is to make their yoga practices accessible for any person with any body type and experience level.?

“We want to meet people where they are on their journey by offering postures and variations that are supportive for all people and bodies,” McCrystal said.

Although classes are not currently being held at Replenish due to renovations, the spa offers yoga sessions over the span of several months each year through the Wexner Center for the Arts. Replenish has been a partner with the Wexner Center since 2018, and together they created On Pause, “a creative infusion of art and meditation,” according to the Wexner Center website.

“Monique will record a live video in front of an art piece and intertwine the meaning of the work with everyday life,” Redman said.?

The mission Replenish sets for people who come to visit their spa is for participants to experience a feeling of comfort as though they are at home.?

“We want people to feel cozy and like what they’re experiencing,” McCrystal said.?

Replenish is open Monday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.