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Business & Tech

Baker Street Yoga Opens in Maplewood Village

Baker Street yoga will focus on a discipline known as vinyasa. Owners Blake Henry and Claire Garland hope to compliment--not challenge--other yoga studios in the area.

Get ready for vinyasa in the Village! Baker Street Yoga--appropriately located at 97A Baker in Maplewood--opens today, offering  yoga classes for teens and adults.  

The owners, Blake Henry and Claire Garland are Maplewood residents, friends, and avid yogis. With more than twenty years of yoga practice combined, they had many ideas about what kind of studio and classes they wanted. Both are moms of school-aged children who found vinyasa yoga a good outlet and a great way to stay in shape.

Vinyasa is a flow of poses linked to breath work. One of the more vigorous ways to practice yoga, students progress through a series of poses or postures quickly, creating heat in the body through movement. The challenge is to increase one’s stamina while preserving the correct alignment during each pose. With regular practice, students can increase their strength, flexibility and balance. The ultimate goal is to carry that physical strength through to your mind and spirit as well.  

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Garland and Henry had been traveling to a studio in Chatham for the last several years to take a hot vinyasa class they both loved. One day on the way to class, seeing the empty space that formerly housed Gold Finch Books sparked an idea. Why not open their own studio? Undaunted by their lack of business experience and a troubled economy, they let their passion lead them.

They wanted to bring their favorite style of yoga to Maplewood because, they said, none of the other local studios were offering hot vinyasa yoga, practiced in a 95 to 100 degree room (yes, it's literally "hot"). The heat helps loosen tight muscles while making you sweat profusely, which can be a cleansing experience. 

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Henry says their goal is not to take people away from other studios in the area.  ”Our idea is to do what other people aren’t doing. We don’t want to do mommy and me and family classes because that’s what Shakti does." Garland adds, “We’re not looking to step on other studios’ toes in any way or to compete with them at all.” 

Henry and Garland say they hope to attract anyone interested in yoga, regardless of skill level. They expect to have many adult students but want all of the community to feel welcome. “We hope to get everyone, from young teens to adults. Anyone who wants to feel great about themselves and anyone generally interested in their personal health and feeling good,” said Henry. That might even include athletes from Columbia High School looking for a new challenging work out or a fun way to engage sore muscles.  

One of the ways they may draw that younger demographic is by including contemporary music in some of the classes. In many traditional yoga classes, music is white background noise, meant not to distract. There might be some chanting but few lyrics and repetitive basic instrumentals, with an Asian flair.

But Baker Street Yoga will have a different take. “Music is what connects you to so many things so we want great, fun, inspiring music that people can relate to. There will definitely be some popular music infused," says Henry. When asked for examples, Garland starts thinking about what’s on her Ipod and suggests you might hear some Led Zeppelin, Radio Head, Beatles and Cold Play.

Students can also expect at least three or four classes on weekdays and at least three on each weekend day.  The schedule may change as they identify clientele demands. Garland says, “We want to meet people’s needs so if a time works for them and we have enough people, we are open to that. We’ll experiment with different times.”

All classes will be the vinyasa flow style, but not all will be hot; some may be warm. Clients can do a sun salutation at the early morning commuter class starting at 5:45 a.m. three days a week. 

That’s one of the things Henry and Garland are most excited about: the location of the studio. They are hoping Maplewoodians will take advantage of the ability to zip into town for yoga and then get on the train for work or do errands. There’s also the green option of leaving the car at home. “The idea of being able to walk to town or ride your bike, to throw your mat on your back and just go--that’s who we’re hoping to draw in. So it’s a real community place,” says Henry.  

Those who remember the Gold Finch Books store may be surprised at the open and inviting space. It has a minimalist feel with only a large white desk and space for shoes as you enter.  The check-in point and studio are separated by beautiful floor-to-ceiling frosted sliding glass doors that have the feeling of an art installation. The yoga space has newly-finished dark brown wood floors and modern wood fans dangling from extra high ceilings. There is a changing area, water cooler, and a small renovated bathroom in the back.  

After so many years of taking classes elsewhere, the two friends are excited to share their vision. Garland says that although being first time business owners is a new challenge, they are enjoying the process. “Every day we’re learning something new, and we’re blessed with friends who have been gracious enough to share what they know and help us out.”

Both women have kids who are in a full-day school, but Henry said this business also gives them the flexibility to be with their kids when they need them. “First and foremost we’re mothers and this is something we can do that we love but still be with our kids.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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