Hylo Fitness, the boutique fitness brand born in Charleston, is bringing its high-low workout concept to Charlotte this fall by taking over the former Catawba Brewing taproom at the Sugar Mill mixed-use cluster in Belmont. The onetime barrel room is set to become a dual-studio boutique that pairs high-intensity training with a heated, low-impact room. A local father-daughter franchise team brokered the deal and secured early rights on a potential second nearby site, adding another lifestyle tenant to Louise Avenue as old industrial spaces continue to flip into restaurants, studios and experience-focused spots.
According to the Charlotte Business Journal, the father-daughter owners behind Hylo’s Charlotte outpost have signed the lease for the former Catawba space and hold first right of refusal on a second Sugar Mill location. They expect to open this fall and are moving ahead with interior plans for the two-room studio.
Where It Will Be
The studio is slated to anchor the Sugar Mill cluster at HUB 933 on Louise Avenue in the Belmont neighborhood, Axios Charlotte reports. Hylo’s format fits two dedicated rooms into one footprint: one for high-impact cardio and strength and a second heated room for yoga, Pilates and barre-style classes, mirroring layouts the brand uses in other markets.
From Brewery To Boutique
Catawba Brewing closed its Charlotte taproom in 2023, leaving the Barrel Room and adjacent units open for new uses, The Charlotte Observer reported. Commercial listings on LoopNet describe the address at 933 Louise Avenue as the former Barrel Room at Hub 933 and show it being marketed to experience-oriented tenants. That listing history helps explain why a boutique fitness operator like Hylo targeted the site, since the building was already positioned for a hospitality and retail-style conversion.
Design And Scale
Project materials and credits shared with reporters list cradle. design studio as the project’s creative collaborator, offering early peeks at a moody, industrial-leaning interior, according to the Charlotte Business Journal. Architects working on the adaptive-reuse buildout say the plan preserves exposed trusses and the original patio while carving out new locker rooms and studio floors for classes.
Neighborhood Impact
Hylo is set to join other restaurants and activity-driven tenants at the Sugar Mill development, which should boost foot traffic along Louise Avenue and give nearby residents another fitness option, Axios Charlotte notes. Local real estate coverage says Ascent Real Estate Capital bought Hub 933 late last year and is planning renovations that could bring in more repurposed tenants on the block, according to Cedar Square.
What To Expect
Hylo outlines its dual HY (high-impact) and LO (low-impact, heated) class formats on its locations page and lists Charlotte among its upcoming markets, per the company’s site. Membership pricing and a detailed class schedule for the Charlotte studio are not posted yet, and the brand and local owners say those details will roll out as the buildout and permitting progress.
The conversion of the former taproom into a boutique gym highlights Belmont’s ongoing shift from industrial corridor to a cluster of restaurants, studios and entertainment concepts. Expect permitting and construction updates over the coming months as the space is readied for a planned fall opening.
