Saratoga Springs has long been revered for its healing mineral waters. It only makes sense then that the area has become a popular destination for spas and alternative health stores. One of these stores, Revibe in Downtown Schuylerville, is celebrating its third anniversary this Friday (November 30) with a special Holiday Gathering. The event kicks off at 6pm at the store; tickets are $10 apiece and include snacks, live music and raffles as well as some special Revibe offerings such as palm readings, Reiki healing, reflexology and a group smudging (that’s with a sage stick) to cleanse negative energy. All ticket sales and raffle proceeds will go directly to The Giving Circle, a volunteer, non-profit organization based in Saratoga Springs (and founded by Jefferson Award honoree Mark Bertrand) that connects communities in need with resources.
“Originally, we wanted to do a kind of pre-holiday, relaxation party before things get really crazy,” says Owner and Co-Creator Kristi Carrara. “And then I realized that it’s our third anniversary, so then I wanted to turn it into a time of giving as well, to say that we’re so thankful for everything we’ve been allowed to do here.” Carrara started Revibe with Co-Creator Demecia Lloyd in a tiny 400-square-foot space in October of 2015, and by December of the following year, business had been so good that the pair were able to move Revibe to its current, sprawling two-story location in Downtown Schuylerville. “The entire purpose of the store was exploring the way people change their lives, how do they re-vibe and move forward in times of difficulty,” says Carrara. “And it’s evolved from simply a retail space to an experience and a community of people and services.”
True to Carrara’s word, Revibe is so much more than just an alternative and holistic health center. The store also offers yoga and meditation classes and lessons on easy, made-at-home products as well as various ways to explore alternative healing and medicine. But even if you’re not into alternative medicine, Revibe still has something to offer from its hands-on arts and crafts, painting and jewelry-making classes, to its incredible floor-to-ceiling collection of used books and beautiful terrariums. The store also partners with other local businesses to offer special events and programs such as a Young Women’s Retreat with Rural Soul music studio, yoga empowerment classes, and yoga and meditation sessions for kids.
And Revibe isn’t stopping there. Next year, Carrara and Lloyd plan on taking customers out of Schuylerville. “In February, we’re taking our first retreat to the Azores [Islands] in Portugal,” says Carrara. The retreat includes a week on the island of Terceira in the Azores at the oceanfront Terceira Mar Hotel, just steps away from the historic city center of Angra do Heroísmo, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The cost of the trip covers daily breakfast and yoga classes and hikes to Mount Brazil in addition to three tours of other areas of the island. This year’s trip to the Azores is, unfortunately, already sold out, but Carrara and Lloyd plan on making it an annual excursion, plus there’s a May retreat to Woodstock, and Carrara says she’s thinking about a summer trip to Italy as well. “It’s a life-changing experience, especially for people who haven’t traveled extensively or who just want to do something different,” says Carrara. “So Revibe is more than just a store—it’s an experience in many different ways.” And if you’ve never been to Revibe, Friday’s Holiday Gathering is the perfect first experience.
