It's sad when it happens and I guess it shows how difficult it is to be in the yoga business and dealing with the realities of a studio, rent, landlords, contractors etc.
"Given the magnitude of the situation, I have no choice but to keep the studio closed. After meeting with an attorney, the business has decided to file Chapter 7 Bankruptcy" Said Lisa, the manager, in an email sent yesterday.
She continued by saying:
"No words can adequately describe my level and professional devastation. This endeavor was always much more than a business to me..."
The main reason for the end being:
"...Following one unanticipated and unauthorized expense obligation after another, the landlord has formally initiated eviction procedures. This is coming despite the fact that the landlord was, in parallel, telling me he wanted to resolve the matter...."
The e-mail comes after a red sign indicating trouble which came out on Wednesday, also in the form of an e-mail, explaining that the studio was to be temporarily closed with an emphatic reassurance that they were not going to go out of business.
I hope students that paid for full memberships can get their money back as the assets are dissolved and all creditors paid.
This is no strange situation in New York City, a place where it is hard to survive as a business (and an individual!) and a city that has been particularly hard in the the past few years. I am in awe at how many stores have closed and how many vacancies can be seen throughout the whole Island of Manhattan.
Yoga Sutra was the studio where I started dedicated, shala practice, in 2007, with Christopher and Greg, then Kimberly and John -who was the last teacher to leave at around the time it was sold to the current management-. Amy and Lorrie kept up the Mysore program together with Constanza and Arthur. Today we say goodbye to them. Sad to see a beautiful space like this go.
Here is hoping that everyone on staff and all students can find a new home for teaching and the practice, and that proper closure in financial terms can be found for everyone. Also, that healing comes quickly for all involved.
"Given the magnitude of the situation, I have no choice but to keep the studio closed. After meeting with an attorney, the business has decided to file Chapter 7 Bankruptcy" Said Lisa, the manager, in an email sent yesterday.
 |
| Mysore room |
"No words can adequately describe my level and professional devastation. This endeavor was always much more than a business to me..."
The main reason for the end being:
"...Following one unanticipated and unauthorized expense obligation after another, the landlord has formally initiated eviction procedures. This is coming despite the fact that the landlord was, in parallel, telling me he wanted to resolve the matter...."
 |
| Iyengar room |
 |
| The Management's dream was to create community |
This is no strange situation in New York City, a place where it is hard to survive as a business (and an individual!) and a city that has been particularly hard in the the past few years. I am in awe at how many stores have closed and how many vacancies can be seen throughout the whole Island of Manhattan.
Yoga Sutra was the studio where I started dedicated, shala practice, in 2007, with Christopher and Greg, then Kimberly and John -who was the last teacher to leave at around the time it was sold to the current management-. Amy and Lorrie kept up the Mysore program together with Constanza and Arthur. Today we say goodbye to them. Sad to see a beautiful space like this go.
Here is hoping that everyone on staff and all students can find a new home for teaching and the practice, and that proper closure in financial terms can be found for everyone. Also, that healing comes quickly for all involved.
It is not likely that any members will get their money back- Lisa has not been responding to emails, not even to tell us when we can return to pick up our mats.
ReplyDeleteRunning a studio is extremely hard and taken way to lightly these days. You wrote a lovely article. Could feel your love for the studio
ReplyDeleteAnon, I am sorry to hear that, this is a difficult time... I hope you get everything that is yours
ReplyDeleteShanna, yes this is the feeling I get, it is very hard to run a studio.
Thanks Claudia; This has been a very surreal experience... I just finished reading the email myself; and as a work-study was given the heads up that things were not looking too promising. But I can appreciate the doors this opportunity opened for me...
ReplyDeletesmall world that you practiced there with Arthur and Constanza; they are my teachers as well.. ;)And i'll be joining them in their new space at OmFactory.
Nyc has definitely been a difficult place to survive lately... I extend the same wishes as you to all students and faculty of YS.
Xo's
Hi RV, that is great to hear that there is a new space for Arthur and Constanza, I am happy this is the case, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHello Claudia, thanks for writing this beautiful post. Although I have never practiced at Yoga Sutra before, I have been around enough studios and shalas to understand how much of a struggle it is to keep one open, even in so-called good times. I also think that many people underestimate the amount of hard work that goes into running a studio (especially one with a mysore program); it's shocking how many people still think that running a studio is a good way to make lots of money quickly. Well, I can go on and on about this. But I am optimistic that all the people who were at Yoga Sutra will find a way to keep the flame of yoga burning :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Nobel, yes Mysore programs build very VERY slowly, and have a lot of care that goes into it, from finding the right rooms, light, teachers, especially teachers, it is a tremendous amount of work, and that is without even thinking of rent, contractors etc...
ReplyDeleteThe yoga business per say is intense...
Bound to happen. When they closed up shop in Philly, there was no notification, not even an email. One day, they were just closed. They didn't respond about the $300 in classes I had remaining (though some people were lucky enough to get word that the classes could be used at the NY location). I can only thank my credit card company that I got the money back. Hadn't been there since JC taught there, and honestly had no plans on going back.
ReplyDeleteHi Frank, amazing how selective memory works, I had totally forgotten there was a Philli Chapter to it... I am relieved to hear you got your money back somehow.
ReplyDeleteWith American Express, disputing a charge is very easy, and they automatically assume you're correct and take the amount off your bill until they resolve the situation with the vendor. I hear the process is not so pleasant with Visa & MasterCard. It's this kind of stuff that makes AmEx's $95 annual fee worth it. Of course, it also helps that my landlord takes my rent on the card, so I make more than the $95 in rewards points just from that. :-)
ReplyDeleteAs a former employee of YS, it was apparent that Lisa didn't know how to run a business. The studio could have flourished but with each passing day it became obvious that Lisa had no idea what it took to run a financially sound studio.
ReplyDeleteI had to deal with teachers complaining about not getting paid months ago. I've also had checks bounce numerous times... Lisa had been receiving certified letters from lawyers months ago (that I personally signed for). There were so many red flags waving in the air that it's pointless to mention at this point.
She knew this was coming months ago and yet she chose not to notify members ahead of time. Instead she marched ahead with another round of teacher training, seminars, etc.
Long story short. You can run a successful yoga studio in New York City. It isn't easy but it is possible to run an honest business.
Lisa Bridge didn't know how to run an honest studio. There are a lot of angry people and they have a right to be.
I just encourage others to be careful of the Lisa Bridge brand. After NY and Philly she could be making her way to Miami, San Fransisco, or Chicago.
Good luck to all the former employees, members, and teachers. Everyone at the studio was wonderful and it's a shame that Lisa, not the studio, wasn't honest.
Hi Anon, I don't know the specifics of the business, all I can say is that I am grateful the space was there when I needed it and with great teachers.
ReplyDeleteIts Anon from before... I'm sure the studio was grateful to have you there. Arthur and Constanza were fantastic people.
ReplyDeleteTo quote Lisa Bridge from her farewell email before she skipped town to Belize:
All I can leave everyone with is my strong belief that "it was better to have loved and lost then to never have loved at all."
Isn't it great that she quoted Alfred Lord Tennyson?
So for those who loved lunchtime vinyasa at YS.. does anyone have a recommendation on where to go instead of YS?
ReplyDelete@Ariella- I would highly recommend Allison West's new studio Yoga Union 37 W28th st 4th Fl. They have lunch time classes and the studio is beautiful. I was also shocked by the Yoga Sutra closing as well, I showed up for my work study and there was just a hand written paper sign that said closed. In hindsight, I shouldn't be so surprised, they were out of basic supplies though the staff insisted it was being ordered and the few times I ran into Lisa she seemed to be completely out of it. She didn't seem to even know how the studio was run. Anyway, the teachers and the other staff were really great and I hope to run into them at other studios.
ReplyDeleteThanks to Frank for mentioning you can probably get money back for unused classes from your credit card. I'm going to dispute the charge. Can someone forward me (rychang at gmail) the email stating they are going bankrupt? I've lost it.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to try to make it to Constanza's new lunch class at OmFactory when she starts teaching in Dec. Hope all the YS refugees find a new home.
I know I'll never get my money back, but I mourn the loss of my special yoga mat that I stored there. I understand that yoga teaches non-attachment, but my Maha mat and I have traveled together since 2001. It would have been nice to have had some warning, but they were selling memberships and taking people's money right up until the day they closed. I have tried numerous times to call, email and even go there in person. The place is locked and there is nothing; not even an "out of the office" email response. Trying to think positive thoughts...but it's not easy.
ReplyDeleteHi anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI'm a reporter working on a story on the closing of Yoga Sutra and I would love to speak with you about the studio. Any chance you'd be willing to chat over the phone? Please email me at lisa (at) wellandgoodnyc.com.
Thanks so much!
Best,
Lisa
I can't believe they didn't contact members so we could get our mats. This is ridiculous. Very bad behavior from so-called yogis.
ReplyDeleteHere is an article from Craine's New York Business that details the numbers behind Yoga Sutra. In case you are interested
ReplyDeletehttp://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20111216/RETAIL_APPAREL/111219907/1072
On Linked IN Gordon Bridge is listed (by himself) as a "Serial CEO and a Trusted Adviser". Hilarious.
ReplyDeleteAre you ready to improve your life and well-being? Then you need an experienced
ReplyDeleteNYC Yoga Instructor, find yoga instructor for those in the NYC area.