A new health center called Rio Wellness has opened in the Riverwalk building at 1003 E. Trent.

The business is owned by Spokane native Patti Gallagher, who says she has a passion for making self-care a priority in life.

Gallagher says Rio Wellness offers yoga, Pilates, meditation, massage therapy, and self-development workshops.

 “Starting this was something I’d thought about doing for a few years, but just hadn’t gotten to yet,” she says. “This is my first time owning a business like this, but I felt there was a need for this here in Spokane.”

The business operates out of a 2,500-square-foot leased space, which Gallagher says formerly was used as office space for the medical supply company, Lincare Inc.

“We did a full renovation of the space before moving in, so we now have four massage treatment rooms, a yoga studio, bathrooms with showers, and a serenity room,” she says. “We have a six-person staff that includes four massage therapists and two yoga instructors.”

Looking ahead, Gallagher says her goals for the business include building class sizes and a base clientele for massages, as well as adding semiannual retreats.

“Starting this spring, I’m hoping to develop some three-day long retreats that focus on tips and tools for self-care and take place in a resort setting,” she says. “My hope is that I can help people here start to see self-care as a priority in their daily lives rather than an occasional day of pampering.”