03/22/2022
“If you’re brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello.” – Paulo Coelho
Dear Friends,
First off, we want to thank each and every one of you who made it possible for us to live out this dream of being part of, and owning, a yoga studio community for so many years. Om Sweet Om Yoga has been a pillar of the Port Washington community for over 18 years. This time has been filled with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, but we wouldn’t change anything for a second as it has allowed us to be immersed in the best community. It is with heavy hearts that we announce the journey of Om Sweet Om Yoga will be coming to an end at this time, as we permanently close our doors (physical & virtual) on Wednesday April 20th, 2022.
In March of 2020, when the world as we knew it took a sharp detour, we were so proud to be able to pivot toward something new, to teach ourselves video editing, and to get over our nerves of being on camera. But it was always meant to be temporary. That was not how Om Sweet Om was founded or how we imagined the studio existing, and also not how we had managed to be and stay financially independent and profitable for the previous years. While we have navigated all the twists and turns to continue surviving while helping to support so many of you through this time with “regular” classes, we ultimately came to the conclusion that the studio is no longer sustainable and able to be financially independent. We’ve always relied on local student support to keep the studio afloat, and unfortunately we have not had enough of that to get us through. We must give our immense gratitude to both the students who have continued to support us and the studio through this time, and also to the teachers who have stayed by our side through every change we’ve needed to implement. The studio would not have been the same without them.
A few months back while talking about how we and the studio are doing, our CFO and wonderful friend asked us, “but… are you having fun?” And while that wasn’t the moment it first clicked, it was the one time that we realized that for 24+ months we had been living in survival mode trying to keep the studio open in whatever way possible while continuing to support ourselves financially as much as possible. But simply surviving is no way to live, and while we still love teaching group classes and connecting with students, we had forgotten that in order to be happy and have fun you truly have to thrive.
Through all the good, the bad, the ugly, the sweat, the blood, the tears, it has brought us to this place for which we are so incredibly grateful. All good things must come to an end. And that’s where we ultimately are today. We’re sure there will be many questions, but we have tried to answer the main ones here in advance, and please be patient in responses to any messages you send as we’re unsure how inundated we might be.
The teachers and staff thank you from our hearts for your love and continued support through this transition time. You are very dear in our hearts, and we hope to see many of you frequently over the next several weeks. Collectively we have been such an amazing community and it has been such a blessing to offer and share this space with you for this long. You’ve all brought so much joy to our hearts. We hope you join us for as many classes as possible through our closing.
In the coming weeks, we will send out information about where you can attend classes with our instructors and how you can stay in touch with them, as well as opportunities for you to continue your practice. Our community is not disappearing, and it is our hope that you continue to feel supported in your practice, just in a different space!
It has been a true honor to serve all of you and we look forward to continuing to support you on your path!
With all our love and blessings,
Roopali and Rachel