Connection, Care and Community at the Heart of Sage & Soul Collective in Millbrook
/By Scott Arnold
After months of planning, renovations and anticipation, Sage & Soul Collective officially welcomed the community through its doors Thursday, marking the beginning of a new chapter for two local entrepreneurs with a shared vision for wellness.
Amanda Willett and Missy Gurley at their grand opening thursday for sage & soul collective in millbrook (photo by scott arnold)
The new business, located at 4 Union St. in Millbrook, celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by community members, local officials, business supporters and family members.
mayor matthew graham, rose terry of community futures peterborough, and president & ceo of the chamber of commerce brenda whitehead joined owners missy gurley and amanda willett for the grand opening of sage & soul collective (photo by scott arnold)
For co-owners Amanda Willett and Missy Gurley, the day was both exciting and emotional.
"It was a lot more emotional than I expected it to be," Gurley said following the ceremony. "It's kind of the finale of all this hard work. Not really the finale. It's the start of something exciting, but the finale of the hard work."
sage & soul collective held their official grand opening ceremony in millbrook on thursday (photo by scott arnold)
The idea for Sage & Soul Collective began with a simple conversation.
Gurley said Willett was her yoga instructor when the two started talking about their shared desire to create something in Millbrook. Gurley wanted to establish a local office, while Willett had been searching for a space to expand her wellness offerings.
A few months later, Willett found a location and asked if they should pursue the opportunity together.
"It all kind of came together into this really cool, beautiful concept," Gurley said.
That concept has now become a multi-faceted wellness space designed to bring several services together under one roof.
a head spa will soon be available at sage & soul collective at 4 union st. in millbrook (photo by scott arnold)
Located in the heart of Millbrook, Sage & Soul Collective combines wellness programming, movement classes, coaching services, retail offerings, a micro café and relaxation experiences in what the owners describe as an intentionally designed community sanctuary.
lots of options at the micro café located inside sage & soul collective (photo by scott arnold)
Visitors can browse locally sourced products, enjoy smoothies, superfood lattes and wellness beverages, take part in yoga and restorative classes, or book time in the facility's Halo Sauna.
One of the centrepieces of the space is the sauna itself, which Gurley describes as a five-sensory experience featuring infrared heat, salt therapy, aromatherapy, chromotherapy, red light therapy and sound therapy.
"There are not very many of these in Canada," she said.
a five sensory sauna with infrared heat at sage & soul, that offers red light therapy, salt therapy, aromatherapy chromotherapy and sound therapy (photo by scott arnold)
The business also incorporates an element often absent from traditional wellness spaces: financial wellness.
Willett, who spent more than two decades working in corporate leadership while building businesses on the side, said her own experiences with stress and health challenges helped shape the vision behind Sage & Soul.
"I've always dreamed of having my own wellness space and really creating something that I felt didn't exist in this town," she said.
The collective was built around the idea that wellness extends beyond physical health.
"We're trying to create a destination holistically that encompasses all dimensions of wellness," Willett explained.
That philosophy is reflected in the partnership itself. While Willett brings experience in trauma recovery coaching, healing arts and wellness education, Gurley is the founder of Sage Advice Financial and works as a financial advisor. Together, they hope to support both personal and financial well-being.
sage & soul collective was busy all morning after cutton the ribbon cutton at their grand opening ceremony thursday (photo by scott arnold)
The pair say community has played a major role in helping bring the project to life.
During Thursday's celebration, both owners thanked supporters, family members, friends, local organizations and community partners who helped make the business possible.
"It takes a village," Willett told those gathered.
Support came from organizations including Community Futures Peterborough, the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce, the Township of Cavan Monaghan and the Millbrook Business Improvement Area.
Rose Terry of Community Futures Peterborough said the organization had been working alongside the owners for months leading up to the opening.
"To be able to see their dream turn into a reality is the best thing," Terry said.
lots of treats and refreshments greeted the public as the doors officially opened to sage & soul (photo by scott arnold)
Mayor Matthew Graham also welcomed the business to the village, noting the owners received support through the township's Community Improvement Program, which assists projects involving improvements such as signage and beautification.
"We just want to welcome you to the village," Graham said. "We hope that this day and all the days after it are everything you wanted and planned for."
Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Brenda Whitehead said every ribbon cutting represents much more than the opening of a business.
"Behind every ribbon cutting is a story," she said. "Opening a business takes heart, and it takes people who are willing to bet on themselves and, more importantly, on their community."
Whitehead also highlighted the impact women entrepreneurs continue to have throughout the region.
"Women entrepreneurs continue to make an incredible impact in all of our communities," she said. "They are innovators, leaders, mentors, employers and change makers."
the grand opening of sage & soul in millbrook was a great success on thursday (photo by scott arnold)
While the main floor is now open, the owners say there is more to come.
Plans are already underway to expand into the building's upper level, where a spa area will include head spa treatments, massage services, facials, nail services and additional wellness offerings.
community support was strong during the grand opening festivities at sage & soul (photo by brad wood)
