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London Ray-Dykstra finds her flow with Hustle/Haven.
Courtesy of London Ray-Dykstra
London Ray-Dykstra
London Ray-Dykstra is no stranger to craft beverages, but these days she’s more likely to whip up an adaptogen-infused latte than a custom cocktail. After working in the food and event industry in Richmond for 12 years, which included collaborating with chefs, bartenders and distillers to produce events for food festival Fire, Flour & Fork, Ray-Dykstra is the founder of Hustle/Haven in downtown Roanoke. It’s an indoor cycling and yoga studio, self-care boutique and potion bar rolled into one, and the physical embodiment of Ray-Dykstra’s approach to well-being.
But it wasn’t a straight path from hosting chefs to teaching spin classes. When Ray-Dykstra was living in Richmond, she experienced a series of traumatic events and her relationship with food spiraled.
“I self-medicated on pasta, Ben & Jerry’s and red wine,” she says. “I got into a place where I didn’t feel good about myself. I gained weight, I felt sluggish, I was in a repetitive cycle. [Working in the restaurant industry], food was my comfort and a way to comfort myself.”
She turned to her holistic doctor for help. They worked to change her diet and view on food to bring her weight and cholesterol into healthy ranges. Ray-Dykstra’s doctor also introduced her to adaptogens—roots, herbs or mushrooms used in ancient medicinal practices to help the body adapt to stressors—including ashwagandha to help her anxiety. Ray-Dykstra started incorporating it into her daily latte or matcha and tinkering with what she likes to call potions.
Fitness was another tool Ray-Dykstra was encouraged to use to cope with anxiety. She had been a dancer her entire life but had never considered dance fitness. That changed when she was hired at a local indoor cycling studio specifically because they were looking for dancers to lead the rhythm-based classes. Realizing that movement positively impacted her mood was an important mind-set shift. Ray-Dykstra found that when she was taking care of her body in this way, she was able to better cope with emotions and it helped redefine her relationship with food, too.
Things were on the up and up when she met her now-husband and moved to Roanoke to be with him (it also brought her closer to her family who live a couple hours west of Roanoke). But she was devastated to leave behind her doctor and yoga and cycle studios in Richmond. “Those things—they really saved my life,” Ray-Dykstra says.
Her husband encouraged her to pursue opening her own studio, but Ray-Dykstra knew she wanted the concept to fit her unique definition of well-being. “I took all the concepts and squished them together to create a space I’d want to be in, which is a wellness space that encourages one to take care of their whole self.”
At Hustle/Haven, Ray-Dykstra views exercise as a vital way to support both mental and physical health. The class lineup features indoor cycling classes that are designed to feel like a dance party on a bike as well as signature vinyasa yoga classes, like the Sunday Scaries, a slow flow class that promises to be as relaxing as a bubble bath.
On the nourishment front, Ray-Dykstra honors her holistic approach with a potion bar that serves adaptogen-based beverages. Drinks can be ordered hot or iced and made with milk or plant-based alternatives like oat, macadamia, almond or coconut milk. For chill vibes, try the Sunrise Latte, crafted with ashwagandha, saffron, turmeric (which helps reduce inflammation), vanilla and coconut milk. The self-care boutique also sells various adaptogens so they can be integrated into one’s morning routine at home, say, sprinkled into overnight oats or blended into a latte.
“The gym, coffee shop and retail concept don’t have to be compartmentalized,” Ray-Dykstra says. “If we create a safe space where people feel like they want to be in, even if you hate yoga or cycling, you can come get a potion and meet a friend or sit in a beautiful space.”
Read more about Ray-Dykstra in our Roanoke Strong article here.
The story above is from our January/February 2021 issue. For more stories, subscribe today or view our FREE digital edition. Thank you for supporting local journalism!