PERRYSBURG — Do a Pure Barre workout and prepare for shaking thigh muscles, crunching core exercises,
demanding posture and a lot of sweat.
It’s all good, said franchise owner Mo Sheahan, perhaps with the smallest of smiles.
Sheahan is opening her second Pure Barre in the area, in the former Mills Hardware space, 128 Louisiana
Ave., today. She is also owner/instructor at the Pure Barre at 3157 W. Central Ave., Toledo.
She said she’s been hooked on Pure Barre since taking a class seven years ago.
“I still … shake and I burn every class,” Sheahan said. “No joke, every class is a challenge.”
Each Pure Barre class is 55 minutes and begins with a warm-up that proceeds to the barre to work thighs
and seat. It’s followed by a series of ab exercises, then a cool down. According to the website, the
flow of class is always the same, but “barretenders” are always changing the music and the very small,
fine isometric exercises. The instructor circles the room, checking on form.
“The point is to get your thighs to shake. It is tough,” Sheahan said.
The burning and shaking breaks down the muscle and reshapes it.
“It gets quick results,” she said. “It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say you see results in three
classes.”
There will be 40 classes a week on the Perrysburg schedule. The Toledo franchise offers 55. Perrysburg
Pure Barre will employ 18, including eight instructors.
Most of Pure Barre’s clients are female, ages 14-60, but anyone is welcome, Sheahan said.
“It’s low impact, which is a good thing. That attracts a lot of people,” she said, including ones in all
shapes and sizes. “If you could take a snapshot of the class, you’d see a snapshot of the community.”

The 1,800-square-feet studio will be located in half of the former Mills Hardware Store space.
“We are 400-some studios strong across the United States” Sheahan said. “The brand has been growing
tremendously.”
Pure Barre started in Michigan, with founder Carrie Rezabek Dorr holding classes in her basement. Sheahan
said Dorr went to California and poured her life savings into creating the brand and the company.
Sheahan is from Arizona and went to Regis University, a small Jesuit school in Denver, where she met her
husband, Brady, a graduate of St. John’s Jesuit High School, Toledo.
A lifelong runner and yoga practicer, Sheahan discovered Pure Barre in 2009.
“You need zero ballet or dance experience,” she said. “I think more so, you need to have an open mind for
goals and results.”
The Sheahans moved back to Northwest Ohio four years ago, when their son, Oliver, was 6 months old, to be
closer to Brady’s family. He grew up in Perrysburg Township.
They gained a new home, renewed family ties and found career opportunities. Brady went to work in the
family business, Northern Steel Transport Company in Toledo; Mo took on a couple of challenges.
She worked in corporate communications for the Dana Corp., then for Lululemon Athletica in downtown
Perrysburg.
But there was no Pure Barre, which hadn’t quite made it to the Midwest despite its Michigan roots.
Sometimes Sheahan would leave her Toledo home at 5 a.m. to take a Pure Barre class in Ann Arbor. The
Sheahans decided to open the Toledo Pure Barre location in Toledo, but always had an eye on Perrysburg.

She still works for Dana on contract, to give her more flexibility with Pure Barre and her family.
For more information visit purebarre.com/oh-perrysburg or call 419-214-0220.