Miami, known around the world for its vibrant culture and thriving social scene, seems like a place of endless possibilities for exploration and excitement. However, for the millions of people looking for community-centered, wholesome and inclusive spaces, the search can feel more frustrating than most expect. This issue is exactly what Co-Founders and Miami locals Kamal Daghistani and Jesse Seitz plan to mitigate with their upcoming rock-climbing gym Las Rocas.
The co-founders plan to open Las Rocas to exclusively founding members and their guests in April. After about a month, they hope to host a grand opening, complete with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, music, vendors and more to welcome the rest of South Miami.
More than a typical climbing gym, Las Rocas will also feature workout equipment, a yoga studio, a sauna, a cold plunge and a co-working space. Described on the website as a hub for movement, recovery and connection, the gym was made to welcome not just climbers, but anyone looking to stay active while connecting with every part of their local community.
“Kamal and I both grew up in Miami, both within like 10 minutes of where Las Rocas is, so we’re really sort of trying to bring, you know, a local flavor,” Seitz said. “You know, it’s not just a place to climb, but it’s a place to work out, it’s a place to do yoga, it’s a place to go to the sauna or do a cold plunge, but it’s also hopefully a place that you can bring your friends and make new ones.”
Daghistani and Seitz hope to expand their focus on inclusivity and connection to the rock climbing community, specifically welcoming climbers of all skill levels by offering free lessons to members on a regular basis.
“We have a lot of easy climbs. It’s gonna be a fun, non-intimidating environment, and we’re hoping to see as many people as possible do it,” Seitz said. “We’re hoping it becomes a lifelong passion for at least some people and a fun hobby for a bunch [of members].”
While providing a place for climbers and other gym-goers to work out is a large part of Daghistani and Seitz’s goal, giving the broader community of Miami a place to collaborate, socialize and even show off their artwork is just as important to them. To give Las Rocas that authentic Miami vibe, the co-founders have made sure to involve locals in every step of the process, especially when it comes to building a welcoming and inclusive co-working space.
“I think I’m going to really enjoy the co-working space. It’s going to have a really nice mural above where our drywall is. It’s going to have a lot of custom furniture from our local carpenter, and that’s where all the local artwork is going to be showcased,” Daghistani said. “So I think a lot of people will enjoy spending time there when they’re not climbing just to look at the artwork, hang out, eat food, whatever the case is, and it’ll be a nice social environment there.”
The social aspect of Las Rocas does not end there. From displaying art to hosting educational speakers, Daghistani and Seitz’s plan to partner with local organizations or even their own members to bring fun events to their new community.
“We are first and foremost a gym, but we really want to also be an event and cultural hub,” Daghistani said. “We want to have things like live music shows, art galleries, maybe lectures from professors. We want to host things like chess club night, paint night, salsa night. So those kinds of ideas are things that we want to get from our members to sort of co-host with them.”
Miami Palmetto Senior High senior Mila Jaramillo will be working as a front desk manager when Las Rocas opens, planning to help maintain the gym and make connections in the new community. A rock-climber of seven months, Jaramillo encourages anyone interested in starting the hobby to consider looking at a membership at Las Rocas for the perfect introduction.
“I feel like Las Rocas is already set up to create a close, tight knit community and also [be] a place where people can learn a new skill, grow and have fun,” Jaramillo said. “It’s so beginner friendly, anybody can join.”
To stay updated on the most current news about Las Rocas, potential members can follow their Instagram (@lasrocasmiami) and TikTok (@lasrocasmiami) accounts. To look at current membership options, they can visit the official Las Rocas website, lasrocasclimbing.com.
