A Topeka yoga company that has operated as a mobile service for years is founded in downtown Topeka.
The mother-daughter duo Mary Boland and Evelyn Spangler, who together own the Topeka Yoga Network, are opening a stationary location in the 900 block of S. Kansas Avenue this year and bringing a yoga studio to the city’s inner-city corridor.
“We’re going to teach a class,” said Boland, “and people come and say, ‘Where can I find you?'”
And until now they have not been able to lead these people to a shop window.
While Boland and Spangler enjoy offering yoga classes at various locations and companies around town – so that attendees can “meet your yogis where they are,” said Spangler – they also opted for a place where customers come to see them could.
And that is exactly what they will be able to offer after a few interior renovations at the new location.
“We’re pretty excited to see how things develop here,” said Boland.
Topeka Yoga Network’s studio will be in 925 S. Kansas, and they will be the second renter of Gary and Martha Piland, the Topeka couple who renovated the 111-year-old Zahner building downtown.
More:The Topeka couple are renovating a 111-year-old downtown building for living, working and retailing. Here’s a look inside.
Their first tenant, MB Addis & Co. Legacy Jewelers, opened in late September.
Boland and Spangler are planning a gentle opening after the renovations are complete in early December and expect to celebrate its opening at the start of the New Year.
In order to transform the room into a yoga studio, they plan to cover the south wall with mirrors and want to set up storage compartments along the north wall.
They ended up on this particular shop front after a friend suggested they contact the Pilands and look. Boland said she was impressed with what she saw and the responsiveness of the Pilands.
Different classes are offered; Topeka Yoga Network is looking for new employees
Boland and Spangler plan to offer five classes a day – two morning sessions, one noon hour, and two afternoon sessions – and people of all skill levels are welcome.
“We do all kinds of yoga,” said Boland. “We do Basic Yoga, Power Yoga, Restorative Yoga.”
In recent years, Boland and Spangler have mainly focused on offering on-site courses for corporate clients who book sessions for their employees, as well as community courses such as these are still available.
They also started holding sessions on Zoom during the pandemic, and they expect the virtual classes to continue in some form.
“That’s a big part of what we’re doing now,” said Spangler. “And with this in mind, we will also offer pre-recorded courses that we will record here and transfer to our WellnessLiving software.”
More:Opened an independent, upscale jewelry store in downtown Topeka
They would also love to hire additional yogis to teach classes, and Spangler, who is certified to train new instructors, could help those interested in preparing – although she added that there is no pressure on the Topeka Yoga Network to work with her as soon as someone has completed their training.
Boland said it was scary in some ways to open a permanent storefront. But she and her daughter look forward to continuing their business trip together and can’t wait to see the future.
“Ready or not, we’re coming,” said Boland.
