Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristen Mercado.
Kristen, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
A local mom and yogi, I began teaching prenatal yoga in 2011. My own experience and those of my students confirmed that most parents (especially postpartum women) had a hard time prioritizing yoga or fitting it into their routines due to the cost and inconvenience of childcare. Plus there was a guilt factor of leaving young children for self-care. There were no studios with babysitting or a real focus on family. In 2014 I decided to trust my gut and took the leap- with parents on-site, my family-friendly studio would be exempt from DECAL and I opened Solstice, a yoga and barre studio, in Decatur April 1, 2015.
We’ve slowly grown to include interactive babysitting six days per week during our 9:30 am classes. Kids socialize and play while parents grab an hour for themselves. If a mom is nursing, she can relax after class and feed her baby. All of our classes are open to anyone, all levels. Our instructors are experienced and skilled at teaching multiple levels in one room.
We have a unique community of moms and college students who “babysit” and we also staff teachers who are pre and postnatal conscious, helping women feel their best during and after pregnancy (the studio has NO mirrors). We are all about feeling good and empowering students from the inside out. It’s a judgement-free, laid-back vibe. And having children in the studio lends it’s own joys and brightness- much more than I ever imagined it would. This Fall our first “Solstice babies” started pre-K and Kindergarten. That was neat.
Over Thanksgiving, we are moving to a new location in Atlanta: 195 Arizona Ave. #500 Atlanta, GA 30307.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
There have definitely been setbacks and bumps in the road. The mural we had originally planned for the building was met with resistance by Decatur residents, so I squashed it. My business partner left the company after a few months. We had roof leaks and problems with our lease. All of these things ultimately led to me buying the new loft at Arizona and re-committing to the business with a fresh lens. I’m looking forward to this new location and our future!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Solstice Yoga + Barre – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
We offer group yoga, barre, and pilates classes. While our classes are open to everyone, we do offer prenatal yoga and many of our classes are structured to benefit postpartum women. What sets us apart from other studios is a) that we offer the wide variety of classes (mostly you’ll find a yoga, barre or pilates studio, but not all three under one roof) and b) the family-friendly element- babysitting, family yoga, BYOBaby classes, changing tables in the bathrooms, etc…
We also have committed to yoga service projects and giving back throughout the year by holding two weekly donation-based yoga classes that are funding the first female veterans’ yoga class at the VA (with centering Youth, a non-profit) and quarterly barre fundraisers. For example, last Spring we raised $450 for Haiti in one barre class. We do a free monthly yoga class for Atlanta Area Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
We are most proud of the amazing community we have grown, how supportive we all are of one another, and how much we all care. The people are just so special and the children keep us smiling every day.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
We are going to move into our new-er more permanent home later this month. Plans for 2017 include adding weekday Happy Hour yoga and barre classes and creating a Solstice non-profit to help fund yoga service projects.
Pricing:
- First 30 Days $30
- 5 Class Pack $80
- 10 Class Pack $150 (no expiration)
- 8 Class and Unlimited Auto-pay $99 and $129 monthly
- babysitting $5/child (pre-registration required)
Contact Info:
- Address: (as of 11/28/16)
195 Arizona Ave. #500
Atlanta, GA 30307 - Website: www.solsticeatlanta.com
- Phone: 404.909.5711
- Email: info@solsticeatlanta.com
- Instagram: @solsticeyogabarre
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/solsticeyogabarre/?ref=bookmarks
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/solstice-yoga-barre-decatur
Image Credit:
Ilene Rouamvongsor
