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A new gathering space will offer seminars, classes and more to the heath-conscious community.

Courtesy Valerie Angle
Jonathan Roberts and Valerie Angle are excited about bringing the community together.
Valarie Angle and Jonathan Roberts are passionate about people, wellness and building community. When they started daydreaming about ways to encourage buying local and building a wellness community, they considered a podcast but decided to bring a wellness hub to downtown Roanoke.
“When we toured 211 1st Street, the old Florabella studio, we could just see the vision for The WellNest clearly and were motivated to make it happen,” Angle says.
They envision The WellNest as a gathering space where people can come to relax, rejuvenate, and refresh. Members can choose from a variety of settings and services such as massage, yoga, Qoya and coaching.
Hoping to meet the needs of downtown residents, workers, and visitors, they want it to feel like home away from home. There will be seminars, classes and special events to support the community in their wellness journey.
The WellNest hopes to play a pivotal role in the growth of wellness tourism and preventative health in Roanoke. Retail offerings include wellness merchandise that is not otherwise available downtown with an emphasis on local makers.
“Absolutely everyone is welcome at The WellNest,” says Angle. Our general motto is “don’t harsh the mellow.” We offer something different than the ordinary coffee shop or restaurant in that we are creating an environment for solace.”
As a member of The WellNest, individuals get discounts at the café and on mercantile, holistic services, classes, and events. Operating from a membership model allows them to offer an affordable leasing option for holistic service providers, which has historically been an obstacle to offering wellness options downtown.
“The WellNest is truly a labor of love,” Angle says. “Because of the collaborative nature, it’s inherently a community effort and brings together the best and brightest of Roanoke’s wellness providers to serve the downtown community. That abundant, positive vibe resonates throughout the space and among the members and providers.”
For information on being a provider or membership, call 540-630-1887 or visit thewellnestroanoke.com.
The story above is from our September/October 2020 issue. For the full story subscribe today or view our FREE digital edition. Thank you for supporting local journalism!