34 THE QUEENS COURIER • QUEENS BUSINESS • FEBRUARY 13, 2020 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
queens business
Study Brazilian jiu jitsu at Gentle Art Studio in Astoria
BY JESSICA MILITELLO
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
Gentle Art Studio, the latest new business
Photo via Google Maps
The Health Nuts at The Bay Terrace
The Health Nuts to
close Bay Terrace
center location
BY JENNA BAGCAL
jbagcal@qns.com
@jenna_bagcal
A health food chain location in Bay
Terrace is closing its doors for good this
week.
Rumors circulated on Facebook concerning
Th e Health Nuts’ possible closure
at Th e Bay Terrace shopping center.
A spokesperson for the Cord Meyer
Development Company, the real estate
fi rm that owns the open-air mall, confi
rmed the news last week.
“We can confi rm that Health Nuts
intends to vacate early. While this is
disappointing news, and we wish them
continued good luck, we look forward
to exploring new options for the space.
As always, our priority is creating a positive
experience for our tenants, shoppers
and the surrounding community,”
said Lloyd Singer, a Cord Meyer spokesperson.
Th e Health Nuts in Bay Terrace is one
of fi ve in New York and the sole location
in Queens. According to the company’s
website, its fi rst location in the Upper
East Side opened in 1971. For nearly half
a century, the company has been known
for its freshly prepared organic food, juices
and snacks.
Th e Health Nuts’ (211-35 26th Ave.) last
day is Saturday, Feb. 15.
to pop up on Astoria Boulevard,
off ers lotus jiu jitsu for members of the
community focused on improving their
body and mind with a fun and useful
martial art.
Th e school — located at 28-02 Astoria
Blvd. — off ers classes starting from the
age of 3 teaching Brazilian jiu jitsu, which
focuses on grappling for self-defense,
fi tness and competitions. Th eir Jan. 18
grand opening welcomed new and experienced
martial artists to train and improve
their lives through the arts teachings.
Kelly Borges, the co-owner and assistant
instructor at the school, stressed the
importance of Gentle Art being a place
welcome to everyone in the area.
“Jiu jitsu is for everyone and Gentle Arts
Studio is for everyone,” said Borges. “We
have kids from age 3 up to an 80-yearold
student in here, and we really want
to impact this community as much as we
can in a positive way.”
Working with Borges is the school’s
co-owner and head instructor, Eduardo
Santos. Santos is a lifelong martial artist who
is a fourth degree black belt and is internationally
recognized as an instructor. He initially
moved to Astoria from Brazil in 2006.
In Brazil he was a member of the Lotus
Club, which is a competition team based
in Sao Paolo that was founded in 1989
and has since spread to several countries
around the world. Santos opened
up his fi rst Brazilian jiu jitsu school in
a smaller space on Broadway in 2015.
When the time came to expand, Santos
and Borges decided it was best to stay in
Astoria, a community that is beloved by
both of them. Th e new space on Astoria
Boulevard is much more expansive and
has two fl oors with wide windows and is
fi lled with vividly green plants and a large
training fl oor to spread the art to even
more Astorians.
Th e school off ers classes for small children
up to adults and has off erings for all
levels of experience including fundamentals,
advanced classes, as well as yoga. Th e
art is based on the principles of Brazilian
jiu jitsu, which translates to “gentle art.” It
involves grappling and techniques that can
be paramount in a self-defense scenario.
But aside from the physicality of the
art, there is a major emphasis placed on
spirituality and becoming a better person
through the art and its teachings as well
as the school being a second home, which
is exactly what Santos and Borges hoped
to bring to the neighborhood with their
new location.
“We wanted to make a space where we
could really help everybody to feel better
when they walk in here,” said Borges.
“A place where the kids and the adults are
comfortable and everyone is welcome.”
For more information, visit gentleartstudio.
com.
Photo courtesy of Gentle Art Studio
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