Liz Adams, of Wild Roots Movement & Massage.

For owner Liz Adams, Wild Roots Movement & Massage is rooted in one central idea: inclusivity.

“Everyone has different ideas about what fitness looks like to them,” Adams said. “Creating an inclusive experience is so what people want.”

When people come to her for yoga- and Pilates-based classes, movement, or bodywork, she added, “They don’t have to subscribe to any type of culture or any type of specific way they diet or exercise or eat or look at their body.”

Adams doesn’t break her classes into experience levels. She teaches all levels at once.

“I have people who are hardcore Cross-fitters and then I have people who are retired school teachers who had a hip replacement in the same class,” Adams said. “

Classes are a reflection of the community locals are used to functioning within, which engenders a more “familiar and welcoming environment,” Adams said.

A licensed massage therapist and group fitness instructor who grew up in the area, Adams happened upon her location at 922 Commercial St. three years ago. At the time, the building was empty but Adams felt an immediate connection with the building owners and they supported her vision for the space.

Adams has plans for expanding in the near future, which includes creating a sort of co-op that includes Sally Anderson, from Yoga Gypsy, starting in April. Both women will retain their unique identities and business models while sharing the space.

“We have a very similar style and outlook about bodywork and movement, so it was kind of like a no-brainer,” Adams said. “(It’s) more of a co-op style model for small businesses like Sally’s and mine is really how we survive and how we continue to thrive and grow while trying to stay in the competitive market.”

Adams added that the move is beneficial since Astoria’s small business owners struggle with rising rents and buildings changing hands.

Adams found it both interesting and inspiring that Wild Roots was a top contender for best day spa, as her establishment is not a traditional spa. However, she believes it demonstrates that people’s views on self-care and bodywork are changing, and she’s excited to be part of that change.

“That opens the door for so many more people to feel like they are able to receive that,” she said. “It’s not just something you do on your birthday, when you feel good, when you’ve lost 10 pounds or when you’ve done something. It’s something you do to take care of yourself as much as you can.”