London Ray-Dykstra, 35 / Owner, Hustle/Haven
After seeing the need for a studio that avoided “gym culture,” lifelong fitness enthusiast London Ray-Dykstra launched Hustle/Haven, a community health center and fitness studio featuring hot yoga and indoor cycling. In addition to the classes and potions bar, Ray-Dykstra hosts community events, such as her happy hour “Can We Talk” to create safe-space discussions on female, mental, holistic and community health, as well as prenatal care, social justice events and more. She is the chair of the 110 Society at the Taubman Museum of Art; a volunteer with the Junior League; a member of the Roanoke Valley Garden Club; and has planned fundraisers for several organizations, including Planned Parenthood, Feeding Southwest Virginia and more. “We need more people willing to take a risk and bring their dreams to life in this community,” she says. “Small businesses are the vibrancy of towns and cities. They’re what give a place personality and soul. If you see a need or are solving a problem, your community will gladly support you and will be grateful that you’re adding something cool to their ‘home.’”
- Volunteer with the Junior League of the Roanoke Valley (marketing/communications chair and assisting with 2019-20 Stocked Market)
- Member of the Roanoke Valley Garden Club (Communications and PR committee – in charge of website for 2020-2021 and 2021-2022); Social Media Chair for Historic Garden Week (2019 and 2021)
- Planned fundraisers for: Prism Angel Tree, Suicide Prevention, Mental Health, The National Brain Tumor Society, Planned Parenthood, No Justice, No Peace, Feeding Southwest Virginia and others
- Chair of the 110 Society, Taubman Museum of Art
- Roanoker Magazine Best of Wins:
- Platinum, Place You Most Look Forward to Visiting, 2020
- Platinum, Best Thing to Happen in Roanoke, 2020
- Silver, Best Yoga/Pilates Instructor, 2020
- Silver, Most Savvy Entrepreneur, 2020
- Gold, Place You Most Look Forward to Visiting, 2019
- Hosts events allowing other emerging women-owned companies to promote their products through her brand
- Creating employment opportunities for young entrepreneurs in the health and wellness fields with Hustle Haven’s Yoga Teacher Training
- Hosts happy hour “Can We Talk” events to create a safe-space to discuss issues with a focus on holistic health, female health, mental health, community health, prenatal care, social justice events and more.
From the Nomination: “… London Ray-Dykstra is an eager learner and an accomplished teacher, a rare combination. The success of Hustle/Haven is due to her vision, hard work, ability to work through adversity, generous kind spirit and her desire to create something that didn’t exist in a city that she had fallen in love with…. Ray-Dykstra’s goal is to make the many young transplants who are here with Carilion and the Research Center and other businesses realize that Roanoke is not only an outdoors enthusiast’s dream but also a rich cultural center. London is a magnetic leader. You can see it as she interacts with her staff, her clients and the many community members who come to Hustle/Haven. She cares deeply and sincerely about her business and it is equally evident that she is a community builder, through her continual outreach. Very few people have the energy to start and build a business in the middle of a pandemic, volunteer her time in organizations across the valley, and collaborate with non-profits providing fundraisers, event space and audiences for them. Ray-Dykstra makes any community she lives in better by her tireless efforts to contribute to the social and economic fabric of the area. She has become a spokesperson and community model for “what’s good and cool about Roanoke.” She has been unabashed in her support of justice for all, and modeling responsible behavior during this unprecedented pandemic. She was the first -and maybe only-fitness center to require masks during exercise and one of the first (if not the first) to require full vaccinations for members to take classes. Her courage in making decisive decisions has been rewarded by members feeling safe in the ability to continue their fitness journey, with proper protocols. … From the day she arrived in Roanoke, and remodeled an aged and underutilized building on Campbell Avenue, Ray-Dykstra has demonstrated her passion and drive to create a wellness community for all to thrive and enjoy as they get physically and mentally stronger. She is precisely the kind of business owner that we need to lead us into the future of fitness in the Roanoke Valley!”
What do you love about Roanoke?
Ray-Dykstra: “I love the mix of urban and outdoor lifestyles. The way you can walk through the city and interact with the river via the greenway or ride/hike up Mill Mountain and have views of the city. It’s a great juxtaposition that not a lot of places offer. I also love the potential in Roanoke. We have this influx of new people moving to the area for school and job opportunities. So, we are at an exciting, pivotal moment to show off this area and what it has to offer. Even more importantly to determine what Roanoke can be in the coming years. I think we need to seize the moment and help it rise to its full potential.”
How does your passion impact our community?
Ray-Dykstra: “I hope my passion to bring something new that focuses on making one’s life and our community better encourages others to do the same. We need more people willing to take a risk and bring their dreams to life in this community. Small businesses are the vibrancy of towns and cities. They’re what give a place personality and soul. If you see a need or are solving a problem – your community will gladly support you and will be grateful that you’re adding something cool to their ‘home.’”
