"Our Story"
Barnet Tradepost Wellness Center
The Tradepost has been a part of Barnet Village life for many years. Built in the early 1800's, the Tradepost originally served as the
Post Office and trading post for all of Barnet. Then used as a thrift shop by the Ladies Society, the Tradepost closed its doors in 2000.
Several years later, Laurajean "LJ" Stewart saw the Tradepost as an ideal home for the wellness clinic she first envisioned in 1980 thanks to the encouragement
of her teacher, Sri Chinmoy. Some fundamentals of Sri Chinmoy’s philosophy include inner peace through physical fitness, health and
wellbeing, and the importance of selfless service to one’s community. Although the Tradepost building itself proved to be beyond saving, LJ forged ahead.
The building was razed and rebuilt in the footprint of the original Tradepost just across from the Post Office and Barnet Village Store.
In early 2006, the Barnet Tradepost Wellness Center opened for business. The
clinic includes facilities for several individual complementary health care
practitioners to offer their services. Currently, the practitioners include
massage therapists, acupuncturists, a
breath coach and
a midwife. BTWC houses several original pieces of “Jharna Kala’ (Fountain Art) by artist, poet, musician, Meditation Master Sri Chinmoy.
In 2008, an existing barn was renovated and became the Tradepost Workshop Annex. Located to the rear of the Wellness Center, the Annex offers a large rental
space for lessons in Tai Chi, Kyudo,
Swordplay, Yoga and related practices.
In 2009, additional space was created in an adjacent building allowing
for additional treatment rooms, a reception area and space for
Fine Arts classes, meetings and storage.
BTWC continues to plan for future growth and community outreach. In the works is a "Wellness Blog" that will involve each of our
practitioners and will provide our website visitors with wellness information as well as up to date information on activities and events. The
Trading Post
Store will expand to offer a selection of wellness products for online purchase. Our most ambitious plans include the creation of wellness webinars to serve the needs of both
health care professionals and the general public.
The Barnet Tradepost Wellness Center is open to all and our website is
meant as a resource for the entire community. You are encouraged to
contact the center or one of its practitioners
for more information or to schedule an appointment.