Haven’s former home will have new occupants this fall, with two tenants set to move in.
Fitness centre Studio Twitch will be on the first floor, and yoga space Move Like You will take the second. The Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) owned building had sat empty for months after the organization suddenly closed the cafe and bookstore over significant financial deficits.
“This is the first step towards financial stability for the organization,” CUSA president Sean Joe-Ezigbo said. “I really wish it could have been under better circumstances, but given the situation that we’re in, this is the best thing we could’ve done.”
Haven ended the 2023-2024 year with a $228,000 deficit, according to 2024-2025 CUSA president Sarah El Fitori.
CUSA can start making money from the site, Joe-Ezigbo said, adding that the organization anticipates making about $144,000 from the two tenants combined this year.
With rent subject to increase, the following year could total $166,349.56 in revenue.
Joe-Ezigbo said he would be open to exploring future partnerships with the two tenants to ensure the spaces are accessible to students. For now, the focus is on logistics.
“The main priority is making sure the space is ready for these businesses to move in,” he said.
Noura Haggar, a Carleton alumna and the owner of Studio Twitch, said she is excited to move into the building.
“We’re really excited to be of service to students to provide a fun, good quality movement option off-campus that is accessible,” Haggar said.
Studio Twitch is a space for Lagree fitness — a type of workout that uses spring-based resistance machines.
Haggar said she hopes to work with CUSA for her business to be an option for students.
“We want to offer accessible classes at a time that makes sense for students to get a little bit of a break,” Haggar said. “We also want accessible pricing for Carleton students so people can connect with other students and we create this communal environment.”
Move Like You, the second-floor tenant, is a yoga studio focused on inclusivity and having minority groups reflected in their instruction. According to its website, the business offers classes and workshops for members.
Looking back, Joe-Ezigbo said communication with students about Haven’s closure should have been better.
“It was a very terrible way in which the organization had released that information,” Joe-Ezigbo said.
Both businesses are expected to open in September.
Featured image by Myles Bodie/The Charlatan.
