It’s hard to explain exactly what Pause is. My mother and I have struggled with a concise definition that encompasses all we have to offer, and we’ve concluded that it’s almost impossible. Our lounge is one of the most note-worthy components; a place where people can unwind, be comfortable with themselves, meet new friends, and enjoy some delicious drinks and snacks. Our yoga studio (while untraditional) is a space where newbies and seasoned yogis alike can experience breakthroughs in their practice. Locals gravitate towards our space and allow us to host events such as wedding showers, baby showers, and networking happy hours. Artists can share their talents in a judgement-free, comfortable space every Thursday night at Sofa Sessions, our take on “open mic”. When I say we have something to offer everyone, I’m pretty confident that’s a truthful statement.
Over time I’ve noticed that folks try and put their labels on Pause, usually based on what they come here for. Kava drinkers call us a “kava bar”, yogis call it a “yoga studio”, and some even call us a “wellness center”. The truth is we are not one of any of these things, but a culmination of the best parts. Labels are actually quite limiting, and we are fully aware that the sky is the only limit. Our goal is to support the people who make up our beautiful community, meeting them with no judgement or labels. Wherever you are in life’s journey, Pause… should be a comfortable and welcoming place for all.
Pause is an ever-evolving hub for creativity and community. We love hearing feedback from our wonderful customers on what we should offer, different events we should host, and so-on. My favorite thing about this space we have created is that I have made so many new friends! People who are older than me, younger than me, different from me… and I love them all. We get to witness friendships being formed between individuals who otherwise would never cross paths. We encourage people to get out of their comfort zones and try new things. We support those who are struggling and love on everyone who walks through our doors. I know we have created a beautiful space in the heart of Delray Beach and we’d love to welcome you to our family; because that’s what happens when you walk into Pause… you become part of our family.
-Chloe
Speaking of family, some background on OUR family:
Kelly McCormick, the owner, founder and CEO of Pause… has a background in skincare. She was an esthetician for over 30 years working at various med-spas around the Delray Beach and Boca Raton area. Kelly was born in Pennsylvania and moved around with her family until they eventually settled in South Florida. She met her late husband, Shannon Hill and had two children, Chloe and Dustin in 1995 and 2000, respectively. Shannon passed away in 2009 and Kelly supported herself and her two children for 6 years working seemingly endless hours in the skincare industry. In 2015 she married Dr. Mark McCormick who introduced her to one of her biggest passions; hormone replacement therapy and optimizing thyroid function. Kelly began working with him in their hormone replacement therapy business and learning as much as she could about these subjects. Despite being a business owner she continues to play a major role in Dr. McCormick’s practice. Today Kelly interacts with and manages care for over 500 patients, drastically improving their quality of life and helping them feel better than they ever thought possible. No matter how busy she was she always had a dream in the back of her mind and deep in her heart. She wanted to create a unique space where people could gather, relax, and simply be themselves. She had been practicing yoga for years and wanted to share all of her favorite things with her community. In record-breaking time, Pause…was born. Kelly is a staple at Pause… she is here every single day making sure the business is up to her very high standards. Truly a hands-on business owner, she dedicates all of her free time to making Pause… the special place that it has become to so many people.
Kelly’s daughter, Chloe is a board certified music therapist (MT-BC). She attended Florida State University’s College of Music and graduated in December 2017. Chloe’s “dream job” was a hospice music therapist and she landed this job quickly after graduating. She worked for a hospice in Broward County but quickly became disenchanted; she was the only music therapist expected to provide care for patients all across the county and there was a quantity over quality mentality. This quickly led to burnout and workplace dissatisfaction. As Chloe’s 1 year anniversary at the hospice approached, Pause… was opened. After working 9-5 at the hospice she would drive back to Delray and work behind the bar at Pause for about a month. In April Chloe was able to resign from her music therapy job and help out at Pause… full time. Now she enjoys taking yoga classes at Pause, playing with her 2 dogs, fish keeping, and growing the family business!
Kelly’s son, Dustin is an up and coming hip-hop artist. A drummer at heart, Dustin attended Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach and moved to LA for a year after graduating high school to pursue his music career. He found that he did not enjoy being so far away from his family and ultimately decided to move back home to help out at Pause…. to his family’s delight! Dustin is an accomplished artist and has over 12,000 monthly listeners on Spotify with several tracks accumulating over 50,000 plays. He writes, produces, records, mixes, and masters every single song he puts out and holds himself to very high standards. Dustin still works on his music here in Florida and has several shifts at Pause, perfecting the art of brewing kava and flavoring our botanical teas! To check out his music you can find him on all major music streaming platforms such as Spotify, SoundCloud, and Apple Music (just search for “Dustin Hill”!)
Kelly, Chloe, and Dustin began drinking kava and exotic teas about two years ago. It became a big part of their lives as it was something the three of them could do together. They found these naturals options helped them improve their quality of life and wanted to share them with their friends and loved ones in a comfortable environment.
To recap, Pause… currently offers:
Several different yoga classes: Vinyasa, Yin, and AcroYoga