La Femme Expands to Full Fitness Studio

By Libby Herz

For over twenty-five years, Crown Heights women have known La Femme as a busy salon in the most convenient location, but today it looks different, and it tells a new story of reinvention, and a woman who refused to stop growing.

La Femme was going strong, providing women with manicures, pedicures, waxing, hair cuts, massage, and more. The salon was popping at the seams, with all of the services in high demand until Covid hit in 2020.

“Covid changed the entire beauty scene,” says La Femme owner and founder, Sary Pinson. The salon lost technicians who had been working there for years, and Sary was in a precarious situation. “I had to decide if I was going to sell or move on,” she says.

The entrepreneur decided to take a small break from her business headaches to concentrate on her own health. A fitness instructor who was also a close friend had extended an open invitation to her gym. Sary wasn’t in it for the weight loss, so she began simply by keeping her friend company. Eventually, drawn in by the good music and better vibes, she dipped her toe into working out.
“I never really worked out in my life,” she says, “but age was catching up to me.” Sary’s original goal was to improve her mobility. What began as a small introduction to fitness grew into a deep appreciation. After just a few months of regular workouts, Sary saw major health improvements. “Now,” she says, “it’s a part of my life.”

Still unsure of her next business step, Sary began brainstorming ways to adapt her model — and then it hit her. “I realized that I could bring all of these health benefits to women in the community,” she says.

Sary teamed up with her friend Yana, a gym instructor, and together they envisioned turning the unused back rooms of the salon into a dedicated women’s fitness studio. Renovations followed quickly. The nail and waxing rooms stayed just as they were, while the remaining rooms were completely reimagined and transformed into a bright, modern workout space. With its lavender mats, neutral backdrops, and bright, open feel, the studio creates an atmosphere that is both gentle and strong, inviting women to feel comfortable and empowered.

Sary has exciting classes planned, and she and her staff cannot wait to open the doors to the public. “My plan is to reach women of all ages and stages, offering modalities that meet each person’s needs,” she says. She explains that the schedule will accommodate women who work and prefer early morning classes, mothers who are free when their children are in playgroup, and those who prefer afternoon sessions and evening classes. She is excited to offer a Zumba option for teens.

Classes will run Sunday through Friday and offer a broad range of styles from weight training and cardio to meditation, Pilates, and yoga. The remodeled studio now includes the spa area up front, a dedicated barre space, and a large fitness room in the back, each distinct yet unified by the same calming, feminine aesthetic.

Classes will include a focus on health education where women can learn about proper nutrition, healthy weight loss, and building good habits. The approach emphasizes practicality: understanding protein intake, developing accountability, and learning small daily strategies that make a real difference.

“I love La Femme,” says Sary. “And it’s been a lifetime. When I started, my kids were tiny. Now they are, Boruch Hashem, grown. I had to reinvent myself and find my passion again.”
Sary also needed to find her footing in the new world of social media. “I had to be honest with myself. The world changed, and I needed to move forward with it.” She recalls how she never needed to put money into advertising. But now, people actively look for businesses through social media. The La Femme Instagram page is now up and running, with the entrepreneur active online. “I’m posting pictures, updates — all the things I never thought I’d be doing,” she says with a laugh.

Women cannot wait to get in a great workout and then relax while their manicurist indulges them with a hard gel, Russian, or regular manicure.

“I understand that fitness isn’t always on the top of our list, but just like we eat and sleep, we also have to move,” Sary says. “Society doesn’t allow for it. We’re on our phones a lot, bending our neck in awkward positions, and sitting behind desks.” Sary believes that together as a community, women will motivate each other to build good habits. Her goal is to create not only a gym, but a warm, supportive space where women feel comfortable investing in themselves.

And perhaps the biggest message Sary offers is one all of us can hold onto: reinvention is possible at every age and stage.