Only big cities had boutique fitness studios nine years ago—but not Richmond. So AnnMarie Grohs created BOHO.After living and traveling around the country, she identified a gap in the fitness marketplace in central Virginia. Hard-core athletes will go anywhere to exercise—but what about people starting out, or trying to get back into shape? The big box gym is intimidating. Should I run or lift weights? How does this machine work? Can I even work out here if I’m not already in great shape? The questions keep lots of people away—and the experience keeps many more from coming back.The solution: BOHO. It started as a small gym, offering indoor cycling classes. Fifty minutes, cool music, and an instructor you can trust. At BOHO, you won’t see “leaderboards” or pressure to compete. That can intimidate people who have less experience in fitness. Instead, you’ll find instructors trained to help clients exercise at their own pace, no matter their experience levels. “We just want people to move more,” AnnMarie says. “That’s how people stay healthy."The business model is working, and the company is growing. It has grown to three gyms, each with a unique fitness concept.The original “BOHO Cycle Studio” is going strong after eleven years in the Museum District, and expanded to a large space. The four-year-old “BOHO Fit Studio” offers strength training, high-intensity interval training, yoga, and more. It’s on Brookland Park Boulevard in the North Side, in a historic space that was once the YMCA. In January 2022, "BOHO the Quad" opened on Forest Hill—bringing boutique fitness to Westover Hills for the first time. The Quad offers Personal Training + Nutrition Coaching. Together, the three studios offer more than 35 group fitness classes each week, one-on-one training, and nutrition to bring the full circle of wellness together. Not surprisingly, the pandemic has been tough for gyms, including BOHO. It delayed BOHO the Quad’s opening plans by two years. But even as classes moved online and outdoors, people kept coming. While tough times and new competition forced many gyms out of business, AnnMarie identified new opportunities. Today, BOHO employs more than 50 people—instructors, creative professionals, and hospitality teams—and gives young professionals their first opportunity to take on management responsibilities. AnnMarie mentors other business owners, even helping her employees start and grow their own businesses. She gives generously to community organizations and works to help women-owned businesses grow and thrive.