Going with the flow: Former Clothes Contact becoming an upscale yoga studio
September 9, 2016
The former Clothes Contact, which used to sell clothes by the pound, is changing into something skimpier.
After sitting vacant for at least a year, 473 Valencia St. is under construction and poised to become an upscale yoga studio called Love Story Yoga. Mehrad Eslami, vice president of Cocore Development Group, the construction management/general contractors for the project, said work is expected to be complete by late December. The studio should open soon after.
Eslami, who was out at the site Friday afternoon, said the studio itself will occupy 3,000 square feet at street level and that locker rooms and showers will be built out in the basement. State-of-the art heating will warm the space up.
A beloved thrift store and popular costume hunting spot, Clothes Contact was forced to close last year after nearly three decades in business because its landlord raised the rent to a reported $14,000 a month.
While it’s unclear if that’s what Love Story is paying, the studio may be more in line to afford it. It’s website already advertises 200 and 500-hour teacher trainings next year that cost $3,800 and $4,500 respectively. Stephanie Snyder, who is opening the studio and is one of teacher training instructors, is described on her website as “one of the country’s most sought after teachers.” It also says she’s been profiled or interviewed in publications ranging from Yoga Journal magazine to Redbook and InStyle Magazine.
Stephanie is one of the most beloved Bay Are yoga instructors. She’s been teaching in the Mission since the 1990’s. Her intelligent classes have helped countless people find psychological and physical relief. I can’t think of a better “reincarnation” of this favorite Mission spot.
To add, this will be an indpendant locally owned studio. Previously, Steph taught at another independent studio, Urban Flow, which also closed due to the all too familiar rent hike: https://thebolditalic.com/urban-flow-latest-yoga-studio-to-be-pushed-out-the-bold-italic-san-francisco-d3fa53bb496f#.7b3ygsy79 You may also remember that our own Yoga Tree franchise is now owned by the Yoga Works empire.