Photo courtesy of The Shoppes at Arbor Lakes Facebook page
Arbor Lakes at night
The walkways of Maple Grove's The Shoppes at Arbor Lakes, crowned with string lights.
If you’ve written off the Hemlock exit on I-94, it’s time to re-examine that map dot.
Once known for Cherry Berry, national clothing chains like Victoria Secret and Forever 21, and carb-loving takeout, Arbor Lakes' district of shops, parks, and restos in Maple Grove has lately been attracting a steady stream of spots that appeal to the healthy-ish crowd, which is giving the area new shape. Add Planet Fitness, Restore Hyper Wellness, and The Good Clinic to the already enticing list of Crisp & Green, Face Foundrie, and both healthy grocers—and you've got a hub that's bringing balance to this northwest 'burb.
As Arbor Lakes veterans know, it’s one of the only places (like, ever) where Whole Foods is kitty-corner to Trader Joe’s—a health foodie's dream. And Crisp & Green, just tasty enough for meat-‘n’-potatoes peeps and just healthy enough to please the greenies, started tossing its salads and bowls in June 2019.
Face Foundrie’s third Twin Cities boutique (now up to five locales!) hit the Grove a year ago, October 2020, bringing its Insta-friendly boho aesthetic and face-focused treats.
Rising in the hollowed shell of a former Forever 21, Planet Fitness takes over the space that last year served as a winter farmer’s market and community fitness space. The 21,191-square-foot anchor at the east end of Arbor Lakes’ shopping sector is set to open in late December or early January—just in time for new resolutions. And for those who might be a little sweat-shy as the pandemic lingers, PF recently launched a crowd meter feature on its app (and on each location’s club page), so you can see how busy your local fit spot is at any given time.
Photo courtesy of Restore Hyper Wellness
Restore Hyper Wellness
The bones of what will be Restore Hyper Wellness, come December.
For a post-workout refresh, enter: Restore Hyper Wellness, slated for a December open, offering treatments that sound like future science—cryotherapy, infrared sauna therapy, and compression therapy—but can reduce muscle pain and promote recovery. One of those methods of fending off pain, infection, and improving recovery is Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, during which you lie in a pressurized chamber breathing 90 to 95 percent oxygen (regular air is 21 percent O). The pressure causes your cells to hold tons more oxygen—like, up to 10 times (!!) their usual capacity—and can help your body produce energy more effectively, even healing itself. And IV Drip Therapy is here to combat dehydration and deficiencies. An IV drip is formulated based on a test of your body’s micronutrient deficiencies and benefits hydration and essential nutrients. Watch for an opening late this year.
Photo courtesy of The Good Clinic
The Good Clinic lobby
The Good Clinic lobby
MG's final trick of the year: The Good Clinic just signed a lease in Arbor Lakes for its newest location, expected to open early in 2022. The Twin Cities-based primary care hub was founded by the team behind the expansion of Minute Clinic, since sold CVS, and provides care by nurse practitioners, a solution to the growing doctor shortage (a gap of up to 48,000 by 2034 just in primary care, says the Association of American Medical Colleges). The Good Clinic's model goes beyond those brief annual physicals, treating both physical and mental health and creating plans for individuals to help prioritize their health. "The Good Clinic focuses on well care to help prevent sick care," the clinic says in a press release. "It means seeing the doctor more than just once a year." Maple Grove, the nurse will see you now.
The Shoppes at Arbor Lakes, Maple Grove, planetfitness.com; restore.com; thegoodclinic.com
