Just six months after successfully integrating PILAT3S within Holmes Place Gaia, Holmes Place Portugal has opened its first standalone PILAT3S studio in Porto, Douro Foz. The new studio is elevating the Pilates experience in Northern Portugal, bringing immersive, high-quality Dynamic Reformer Pilates classes to a wider audience. This move and the studio’s performance highlights the growing demand for premium Reformer Pilates and demonstrates how operators can leverage the PILAT3S model to expand beyond in-club offerings.
Sofia Sousa, Holmes Place Portugal’s CEO, was the first operator to take PILAT3S from the B.I.G. model to a standalone. In her interview last year, Sofia recognised the potential and demand for Pilates, emphasising her intention to expand with PILAT3S across Portugal: “our intention is undoubtedly to have our own studios in Portugal because we strongly believe in this concept – it is innovative while staying true to the principles of traditional Pilates, opening the doors of Pilates to a wider market and allowing them to experience and enjoy the benefits that Pilates offers. We aim to reach more spaces and more people through standalone boutiques, but we first want to provide this exclusively launch to our members.”
The success of this model offers a clear roadmap for operators—start with a B.I.G., prove the concept, and scale into a standalone studio to maximise market potential. As PILAT3S continues its rapid growth, this launch serves as an inspiration for others looking to take advantage of market demand. The local management continue their expansion with the signing of two more B.I.G. locations to open Q2 2025.
Stay tuned for more and check out @PILAT3SPortugal to see it in action!
