Metta Center Of St. Pete To Host Vendor Market
ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Laura Purdin first joined the Metta Center of St. Petersburg’s community of wellness entrepreneurs not long after it first opened about eight years ago.
Today, the massage therapist owns and operates the facility at 4554 Central Ave., which offers affordable spaces to small business owners, and is finding new ways to connect with the greater community.
The Metta Center offers entrepreneurs “a low cost, low commitment option to practice their craft,” Purdin told Patch. “We try to make it easier for people to start their businesses. When you’re starting your business, you can’t afford a $500 a month rent for an office.”
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A range of wellness practitioners — everything from acupuncturists and massage therapists to mental health counselors — utilize the space, which can be rented hourly, daily or monthly.
“We try to cater to what people’s needs are,” Purdin said.
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The Metta Center is also a collaborative community where the business owners share their experiences and what they’ve learned in hopes of helping others in a similar situation.
“It’s less of a mentor thing and more of a resource, because I certainly needed that,” she said. “I had to start from scratch and figure out everything on my own.”
Purdin, who always dreamed of owning a wellness center, took over ownership of the Metta Center on Feb. 1, 2020.
“You know, the best time to take over a business,” she said.
While it slowed her plans for reaching more people in the greater community, she’s increased event planning over the past year. This includes professional networking, such as a Thai Body Worker Social, where they can practice massage and work on each other, and a Reiki Social.
The wellness center also organizes a quarterly Metta Market, which features local vendors, mini self-care classes and services, including massage. The next market is Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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