The Pearl Wellness Club Wants to Be a Third Space for NYC’s Women & Girls

At The Pearl, working women take meetings and Pilates classes down the hall from their daughters’ dance lessons. Founder Marcella Hymowitz spoke to ATN about what makes the concept special

New York has boutique fitness studios for women; it has children’s activity centers, moms’ groups and teen programming, each carved out for its own demographic, rarely overlapping.

Marcella Hymowitz looked at that scene and saw that the problem was the separation itself, a sort of generational divide that has prevented women and girls from coming together under one roof.

Her answer is The Pearl, an Upper East Side members’ club that opened roughly a year ago and is now approaching its first anniversary.

It’s the ultimate third space, drenched in pink and finished with the occasional bow. Located at 244 E 84th St., it’s a spot where a woman can take a client call in a soundproof workroom, sweat through a strength class and catch up with other members in a communal kitchen, while her daughter takes a dance class or a study session down the hall.

Hymowitz’s path to founder started on a dance floor.

“I grew up dancing, started teaching when I was just 12 years old, studied dance in college, and went on to become a professional dancer and choreographer,” she said. “Those experiences taught me discipline, confidence and the incredible sense of community that comes from women supporting one another.”

Motherhood, though, is what turned her background into a business plan.

“I realized how much I missed having spaces that fostered those same connections,” she said. “I wanted to create something that combined wellness, movement, mentorship and community in a way that reflected every stage of a woman’s life. That’s what ultimately inspired The Pearl.”

The result borrows from a few categories at once, ultimately taking one less thing off the to-do-and-to-go list for busy women.

“I also felt there was an opportunity to create a place where women didn’t have to choose between a boutique fitness studio, a coworking space, and a community hub,” Hymowitz said. “The Pearl was created to bridge those worlds and approach wellness from a more holistic perspective.”

But make no mistake. The holistic approach (nor the pink aesthetic) doesn’t mean soft, she emphasized.

“Wellness doesn’t always look like slow, easy mornings, sometimes it’s getting in an intense workout and taking a work call right after,” she said. “The Pearl gives women the flexibility to do both, all in one place.”

The Pearl’s calendar is a packed one. Mornings start early with Body by Brooke, a 6 a.m. sculpt-strength-cardio hybrid. Throughout the week, adult members can cycle through Hip Hop Sculpt, Heated Mat Pilates, DanceBody, KK Sweat, Isaac Boots, shuffle classes and standard strength training.

By afternoon, the rhythm shifts. Girls and teens arrive for classes built specifically for them, ranging from dance, acro, cheer, beginner sculpt and cross-training, while younger members fill the lounge between sessions playing games or picking up Mahjong. 

Programming extends past fitness, too. The Pearl recently hosted a Stress Less & Journaling Workshop with Uptown Psychology to give teen members tools for managing anxiety.

Meanwhile, adult women are often closing out a workday in the coworking space before heading into an evening class or lingering in the lounge.

“That’s really what makes The Pearl unique; it’s designed to support every part of a woman’s day while creating opportunities for women and girls of different generations to naturally be in community with one another,” Hymowitz said.

Her favorite part about The Pearl, she added, is that no two days look exactly alike. 

“We designed the schedule so it works for real life, offering a variety of class styles and intensities so members can find what works best for them,” she said.

The Pearl runs on a hybrid model that caters to both A- and B-type personalities. Some members build their routines around a fixed class schedule, while others prefer to drop in when their day allows. Memberships are optional.

“Anyone can walk in, take a class or spend time in the space by purchasing a drop-in class,” Hymowitz said.

But for those who want a deeper relationship with The Pearl, membership adds access to the coworking space, preferred class pricing, one complimentary class a week and priority access to events and programming. 

Membership costs $250 a month for one person and $450 for two, with families of three or more paying $600. Classes cost extra: $30 to $50 each, depending on season, time slot, participant age and whether you’re a member or just dropping in.

Prospective also members go through what Hymowitz calls a light “get-to-know-you” application, meant to understand each individual.

“I realized that if we truly wanted to create community, we couldn’t leave out the next generation,” Hymowitz said. “By including girls and teens alongside adult women, we’re creating a space where healthy habits, ambition, confidence and mentorship can be modeled and shared across generations.”

With The Pearl closing in on its first year, the obvious next question is whether the model travels beyond Manhattan. Hymowitz isn’t ruling it out, but she’s not rushing there either. 

“The Pearl was born in New York, and the energy of this city certainly shaped its vision,” she said. “But the need it addresses isn’t unique to New York. Women everywhere are looking for deeper community and spaces that support both their ambition and their well-being. Right now, our focus is on building the strongest possible experience here and getting that right.”