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Mom’s Treehouse for all things Mom
075 days
by M. Fletcher
in Richmond Business
Being a mother is a great job, but let’s face it, mothers are always busy. There’s always a child to feed, a scrape to kiss, a nose (or a behind) to wipe. Then there’s the business of taking care of the house, feeding the family. And in today’s economy, lots of moms have to work outside the home in addition to their already overly busy lives. While there’s nothing more rewarding than the unconditional love your child can give, it’s not always easy to be super mom.
Whether it’s caring for children, working for the PTA, playing taxi driver for various practices and events, or just trying to keep the household together, moms need all the resources and help they can get.
That’s where Mom’s Treehouse comes in. Mom’s Treehouse is there to provide mothers with support, education and resources to manage and maintain healthy active lives of their own. Mom’s Treehouse opened in Short Pump in December 2010 and is coming up on its first birthday as a resource for mothers.
Mom’s Treehouse also offers a full-range of fitness programs for mom and children as well as professional services for families. Fitness classes at Mom’s Treehouse are for moms regardless of their current level of fitness or age of their children. The professionals at Mom’s Treehouse are certified in pre- and post-natal fitness. Mom’s Treehouse can help moms to get fit, lose weight, gain strength and be better prepared for the daily challenges.
Fitness classes are also offered for children from birth to pre-school and even school-age. Working together Mom’s Treehouse can help moms and their children develop healthy, active lifestyles.
There’s a great social benefit to Mom’s Treehouse. Mothers get to meet other Moms and form lasting friendships. After all, who better to understand what a Mom has to deal with than other Moms? But the social benefits aren’t just for the moms, they’re for the kids as well.
Beyond fitness and the social benefits, Mom’s Treehouse offers other services such as doula and massage services, as well as nutrition and lactation consulting. The shop in the front lobby offers moms products and clothing items that are perfect for an active mom’s workout.
Founder and owner Rachel Pustinik, herself a mom of 2 young daughters, says that when her first daughter was just a few months old she founded Stroller Strides in Richmond. She began training moms for local running events and eventually created Mother Runner Training. She soon realized that regardless of the age of their children, all moms need support and encouragement, so she founded Mom’s Treehouse as a home for moms where they can learn how to raise a happy and healthy family while receiving the support they need.
Pustinik says “I realized that no matter what the age of her children, a mom continues to need support, encouragement, and a sense of community. I realized I needed to create a ‘HOME’ for moms,a ‘HOUSE’ where they can learn how to raise a happy and healthy family all while receiving support and acknowledgement for thier dedication, and a ‘TREEHOUSE’ where moms are the center of attention.”
Membership in Mom’s Treehouse is $99 a month and includes:
- Free and unlimited classes for Mom. Classes include Stroller Strides, Fit4Baby, Zumba and Friday Booty Blast
- Free and unlimited classes for the kids. Classes include Kids and Family Yoga, Martial Arts Classes, Irish Dance, Eco-Art for Toddlers, Baby Signs Sign Language, Playgroups and much more.
- Discounts on other programs which include Body Back, Mother Runner and more.
Mom’s Treehouse is located at 2292 John Rolfe Parkway in Richmond. Call them at 888-232-2450 or visit their website.
Harrison’s of Leesburg: For the Better Dressed Gentleman
0648 days
by M. Fletcher
in Richmond Business
While attire in the workplace has become increasingly casual, there are still times when a gentleman needs to dress his best. And, sometimes being the best-dressed means not buying your suit off the rack at the local department store.
Powell Harrison of Harrison’s of Leesburg seeks to meet the needs of those men who don’t know what to wear. Or, to borrow a phrase, What Not to Wear.
A mathematics major at VMI, Harrison found his calling some years back when he took a job with Men’s Wearhouse. Harrison says, “To buy myself some time to figure out what I really wanted to do with my life, I looked for a low-pressure job that I thought I would enjoy for a few months, so I took a job in a men’s clothing store. I never expected to get hooked! After more than seven years growing and thriving at the Men’s Wearhouse, I launched Harrison’s of Leesburg in February, 2008.” Why not “Harrison’s of Richmond?” The Leesburg in the name, says Harrison, is a nod to his family heritage.
Harrison’s offers in-home wardrobe consulting, custom and ready-made clothing and a line of cufflinks to retailers. Harrison says he gets most of his business through personal referrals, and networking. He also takes advantage of speaking opportunities as they arise.
Harrison says that he’s always had an eye for detail, something he learned from his grandfather whom he describes as, “the consummate Virginia gentleman and a very snappy dresser.” Once he realized that this was his career path, he embarked upon a time of self education and research, visiting and talking with men’s wardrobe departments. Harrison also recommends these books, Alan Flusser’s Dressing the Man: Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion, Gentleman: A Timeless Guide to Fashion by Bernhard Roetzel, and the How to Be a Gentleman series of guides from John Bridges, and says that these books along with his personal attention to detail have rounded out his education.
According to Harrison, the blind spot for many men is their wardrobe. Most men assume they get along just fine. He says, “A gentleman who buys from a retailer or “cloth-slinger” doesn’t always get personalized advice and recommendations that are in his best interests; a man who uses a consultant as a shopping assistant must pay for both the time and the product.” His consulting allows the customer to strategically purchase for his wardrobe using the guidelines of Scope, Suitability, Condition, and Fit.
For the man not inclined to hire a personal consultant, Harrison very generously offers 10 Rules of Thumb on his website. What used to be basic knowledge for the business man, and men in general is outlined so that even the clumsiest of dressers can get it right; or at least better.
Harrison carries his own sense of personal style which includes, wearing his grandfather’s 1940s tails with beaver top hat, white kid gloves and cane to formal occasions; and donning one of the 20 hats from his vintage collection almost every day.
And about those hats? Harrison points out that it’s not just about fashion.
“I learned it at VMI; a gentleman tips his hat to a lady when he passes her on the avenue.”
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