Charlie Breitrose
Watertown’s Steph Mills opened Simply Yoga opened in Belmont’s Cushing Square.
When she Steph Mills sought a new career that would allow her to see more of her family she decided to open an yoga studio within walking distance of her Watertown home.
Simply Yoga opened in April at 93 Trapelo Road in Belmont, located just over the line in Cushing Square. The studio offers a variety of classes, from beginners to more advanced classes.
“I always thought Belmont needed a yoga studio,” Mills said. “I think I’m the third one.”
Mills has been practicing yoga for about 17 years, and trained to be a yoga instructor a few years ago. She is transitioning into a small business owner after working for many years in television. She moved to United States in 1999 from her hometown of Dublin, Ireland to work in marketing, and spent the last few years working at WGBH as production manager for NOVA.
She still keeps involved in the television/film area of things by running the Boston International Kids Festival each November in Somerville.
Charlie Breitrose
The studio at Simply Yoga was built in a former Asian Restaurant.
Looking around the area, Mills always like the Cushing Square area.
“I have been coming to the stores in the square with my kids for years,” Mills said. “We are always going to Hollingworth for gifts, Vicki Lee’s Bakery and Kitchen on the Common. I think it’s an up and coming area.”
Each week Mills posts the list of classes on her website and around the area on flyers. She has early morning classes (6 a.m.), ones in the morning, evening and midday, too.
Yoga Foundations are for those just getting into yoga, while there are some Yinyasa Flow classes for people of all levels. The studio also offers some Heated Flow sessions that, Mills said, are not “hot yoga” (which is done at about 100 degrees), but are run at a more comfortable 80-90 degrees.
Charlie Breitrose
The front desk at Simply Yoga was built out of reclaimed wood by James Kinsella of Brookline.
Looking at the two serene studios at Simply Yoga, it is hard to believe it used to be an Asian restaurant.
“This used to be the kitchen,” Mills said, looking around the room in the back. “We had to build up the walls, put in new bathrooms and new floors.”
The studio, and its furnishings were designed and created by James Kinsella of Brookline.
Simply Yoga offers a range of different prices for classes and memberships. A drop in class costs $17, while a card with 10 classes is $140 and five classes is $75. Membership costs $130 a month with an auto-renew, and $150 a month with no obligation to renew. There is also a newcomer special of $25 for 14 days of unlimited yoga.
For more information go to simplyyogama.com, call 617-993-3315 or email steph@simplyyogama.com
Congratulations Steph!! We are all so proud of you and extend our heartfelt compliments to you on this fantastic achievement in opening your business. Bill and Liam are still talking about the amazing time they had during the opening of Simply Yoga. They are both glad they took the time to travel from the Bahamas to Boston just to share this wonderful experience with you. Your commitment to delivering excellence in everything you do is a testament to the determined, courageous, conscientious and diligent woman of substance that you are. We are very proud of you and we pray that God will continue to bless you and your family. Congratulations!!