While traveling for work, Shakkiah Curtis fell in love with indoor cycling. But the Milwaukeean couldn’t find a fitness studio in the city that played hip-hop or had a community of people who looked like her. So, she set out to open Spinn MKE. Located at 309 W Brown Street, it is a luxury indoor cycling studio located in Milwaukee’s Bronzeville community. Curtis is the first Black woman to own a cycling studio in the city.
After developing a passionate interest in indoor cycling during her traveling, Curtis became a certified instructor and began teaching locally at the YMCA.
"In that time, I started to go to other cycle studios in the area and just couldn't get to a space that felt comfortable or that I could gain community," says Curtis. "So, being from a community in Milwaukee, it was important for me, if I was going to create a space to create a space where it is normally not accessible or non traditional and to make that accessible to people that look like me."
Including Curtis, Spinn MKE has eight instructors and classes that accommodate all levels. Curtis says, "And so I'll always tell anyone that comes in. The only thing I ask is that you don't give up, right? So if you need to saddle, if you need to like breathe, if you need to slow down — do all of those things. Just don't give up."
Spinn MKE is having a block party to celebrate their one year anniversary featuring free rides and free yoga. The block party will take place on July 29, 2023 in front of the studio.
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