At the beginning of 2025, Maddi and Lexi Heise decided to take a leap.
The two sisters had spent the past several years in the corporate world, and they said they’d both begun to wonder what it would be like to have something of their own, centered around the things that they were most passionate about.
“We started talking a little bit more about what a perfect day would look like, and slowly but surely, we started describing this place,” Lexi Heise said. “We were thinking about how in our day-to-day corporate lives, how much we were neglecting self-care. We just kind of came to the conclusion that if this was happening to us, think about the (other) many people that this is affecting — even some people who don’t realize that it’s something that’s missing from their day-to-day.”
Gradually, that idea took shape as Walli’s Wellness Studio — the Heise sisters’ new yoga studio, bookstore and wellness hub. The space officially opened its doors last week in downtown Mission.
Walli’s Wellness opened at 5903 Woodson Road
- The studio moved into a space in downtown Mission, on the southeast corner of Johnson Drive and Woodson Road.
- There, it’s near LaMar’s Donuts & Coffee and the De Luxe Studios barber shop.
- Walli’s Wellness is open from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Fiction books at Walli’s Wellness in Mission. Photo credit Lucie Krisman.
Walli’s Wellness is a “one stop shop” for self-care
At Walli’s Wellness, self-care takes on multiple forms.
In part, that comes from yoga. Walli’s Wellness offers vinyasa and restorative yoga — both in private sessions or group classes. In addition to yoga, the space also offers personal training and nutrition coaching services.
But at Walli’s Wellness, the Heise sisters said, it’s not just about taking care of the body — it’s also about taking care of the mind. That’s where books come in.
The space’s “book nook” offers shelves of books from a variety of genres.
Fiction fans can find rom-coms and mysteries, and nonfiction fans can browse books on a range of wellness-related topics like health, fitness and spirituality. The shop plans to host writing workshops as well.
So, where does the store and studio’s name come from? It’s named after the third team member at Walli’s Wellness — Maddi and Lexi’s 1-year-old boxer and Australian Shepherd mix named Walter, also known as Walli.
His main job at the studio is to greet clients and customers — and so far, the duo said he’s up to the task.
“He’s really our living, breathing mascot,” Maddi Heise said.
The namesake and “mascot” of Walli’s Wellness, Walter (aka Walli) at the Mission studio. Photo credit Lucie Krisman.
Walli’s Wellness is the owners’ first business together
The Heise sisters said the concept for Walli’s Wellness easily fell together by combining their own skills and passions.
In addition to previously working as a financial recruiter, Lexi Heise also has certifications in personal training and nutrition coaching, along with experience in corrective exercise and yoga.
“I think what’s most exciting is being able to help other people — that’s always been a huge passion of mine,” she said. “Being able to pair my love for people and my love for overall wellness (together) is really exciting for me.”
Maddi Heise’s passions come in on the yoga side, as well as the reading and writing sides. In fact, she’s currently in the process of launching her own literary debut — a contemporary romance novel set in Greece.
Ultimately, the duo said this new venture feels like a safe space where they both get to fill their cups and explore their passions. They hope to turn Walli’s Wellness into a place where others feel safe doing the same.
“It was a very big leap, but one that we were so fired up about,” Maddi Heise said. “I’m super excited about the growth potential in Mission, and that we get to be a part of it.”
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