Wild and Woolly Video owner opens new Highlands Pilates studio

There's a new Pilates studio in the Highlands, but you might recognize the name from a completely different Highlands business.

Todd Brashear, owned Wild and Woolly Video on Bardstown Road, is now teaching private lessons and group Pilates classes just down the street six days a week.

“If they see me, I’m just kind of a regular guy,” Brashear said. “I knew the video store would have to an end at some point.”

Wild and Wooly Video was his life for 18 years, but the VHS and DVD business was quickly dying. It closed two years ago.

“I joked maybe that's what I should do,” Brashear said.

That joke soon became serious. At first it seemed like a stretch, but a shoulder injury made him to give Pilates a try.

“I was like most people,” he said. “I didn't understand what it was all about.”

When he realized just about anyone could do the exercises, he jumped right in. With lots of sweat, 1,100 hours of training and a slight deviation from his original brand, he opened Wild and Woolly Pilates.

“There are a lot of people who should be doing this beyond the stereotypical image of who does Pilates,” Brashear said. “The image is that it’s for rich house wives and ballet dancers. I have two friends who are plumbers, and that's a perfect example of you wouldn't think this is great for plumbers, but it is. It feels great to them.”

He's changing the image and said fitness is for men, women and even plumbers and video store owners.

For a link to the class schedule and prices, click here.