Help Save CORE MVMT

Hi, my name is Lisa. In January of 2020, I opened CORE MVMT, a boutique Pilates studio located right in the heart of San Francisco's Castro neighborhood. It was a dream come true, but it quickly turned into a nightmare. Nevertheless, I have weathered the entire pandemic and all of it's twists and turns--changing tiers, mask mandates, social distancing, capacity limitations, vax requirements--all of it.

On Monday 1/24, I found the studio completely flooded--a water heater in the apartment above CORE MVMT failed and the landlord and plumber didn't even care to see where all those gallons of water ended up (hint: DOWN). The floor had to be ripped out immediately to mitigate water damage, five machines were damaged beyond use, but I still managed to run small group classes for another week while the full scope of the damage was assessed. Thank you to everyone who joined classes last week despite the obvious disarray of the studio. Your words of love and encouragement were great reminders of why this community deserves to be fought for.

The situation is very messy--there are multiple insurance companies for all involved parties, and while they point fingers at each other, I'm stuck trying to figure out how to cash flow the repairs and get the business back open. Unfortunately, I do not have business interruption insurance, so I'm losing money every day that this continues, as my own financial obligations have not ceased. It's a mess I can't get out of alone, and I'm reaching out to my community for help and support. I have worked so hard to build and maintain this business and can't bear the thought of being another empty storefront in our beautiful Castro neighborhood.

I didn't get sympathy or help from my landlord. I didn't get money or help from my local and federal government through relief programs/PPP. I didn't get help from the banks in the form of loans or extended lines of credit. I have fought tooth and nail to keep this business alive, and I'm struggling to do it on my own. I need help from my community, and as hard as it is for me to ask for help, that's what I'm doing now. Any amount is greatly appreciated, and for those who cannot contribute financially, I ask that you share this story.