Teachers bounce back after store closing
With support and persistence, studio set to open this week in Charleston
By
David Quick (
Contact)
The Post and Courier
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Times were so uncertain for yoga teachers Beth Thomas and Sarah Finn that they applied for jobs out of desperation.
Thomas, who has a history degree, sought one at a local museum, one where she'd wear period costumes. And Finn was going to answer phones at an orthodontist's office.
Their professional lives had kind of turned on a dime, in the wrong way.
Last December, they had given up a fair share of yoga classes at local gyms and studios to take a chance at opening a Lululemon Athletica store in Charleston. The hip, Vancouver-based label of active wear seemed to be a perfect fit.
While the line is sold at other locations in town, the company had plans to open 37 new stores across North America and were testing certain markets.
Thomas, 37, and Finn, 27, opened a small, temporary store called a Lululemonade Stand and quickly drew a following — helped, to a degree, by offering free yoga classes every week. After thinking they'd take their Christmas-New Year's run into the spring, Lululemon informed them that the store was closing.
Lululemon offered them a transfer, but, like so many in their situation, Thomas and Finn wanted to stay in Charleston.
Buoyed by the support of students and customers, who launched a "Save Charleston Lululemon" Facebook campaign, Thomas and Finn floated the idea of opening their own power yoga studio.
"In the back of our minds, we've always wanted to open a studio," says Thomas. "We decided, 'We should do it now.' "
Finn adds that they had the benefit of a "buzz" created by the Lululemon store.
With their training in the style of athletic, vigorous "vinyasa" yoga, they had a special niche, especially since they wanted to be on the Charleston peninsula. They chose a site on Upper King Street two doors away from O'Malley's Irish Pub and named it Charleston Power Yoga. (
http://www.charlestonpoweryoga.com/.)
While they planned to open in June, they now expect to open this week. A grand opening will be held once the fall semester begins.
"We're really gearing it toward downtown," Thomas says in reference to college students, "Type A professionals" and the active set. "We didn't have to install showers but decided to (do so) because if we really want people to come to yoga on their lunch break or after work before going out, we needed to be able to get them cleaned up and out the door."
Thomas and Finn will offer special rates not only to college students, but to other yoga teachers. They will carry on the Lululemon tradition of free weekly yoga classes, to be held on Fridays.
"We're trying to make it as accessible as possible," says Thomas
