Samudra Yoga isn’t your typical yoga studio.
“How many yoga studios have a tiki bar as a reception area?” co-owner Kath Mitchell questioned.
She and her daughter Winter Niemeyer opened Samudra Yoga July 12 next to Evergreen Park in Bremerton.
The mother-daughter duo bought lots of the studio and café furniture at consignment shops and decided to “go green” by using eco-friendly paint, recycled denim for insulation and compostable cups in the downstairs café.
“We try to be as green as possible,” Mitchell said. “We’re trying to do as much in that realm as possible.”
Samudra Yoga features an upstairs yoga studio overlooking Evergreen Park. Mitchell, along with five other instructors, teach 21 classes a week ranging from beginner to advanced, prenatal to postnatal, and even “Stiff White Guys” yoga, for flexibility-challenged men and women.
While Mitchell mans the upstairs yoga studio, Niemeyer is in charge of the downstairs café. Samudra Yoga’s café serves up Caffe Vita Coffee, tea, fresh baked goods and various vegan treats.
“It’s kind of fun to draw people in through both ends,” Niemeyer said of the yoga studio and café.
Mitchell and Niemeyer talked about opening a business for a while, but never thought it would actually happen.
“We talked about it for years. It was just something fun we kicked around,” Niemeyer said.
Mitchell said she’s always loved the building at 1223 McKenzie Ave., so she knew where she wanted the business to be located.
“I just love being by the park. I love the atmosphere,” she said. “There’s always something going on in the park.”
Niemeyer said they used to drive past the building every now and then to see if it was available and when the “For Rent” sign appeared in the window, they jumped at the chance to open their business.
“If we hadn’t done it here, I don’t think we’d have done it at all,” Mitchell said.
The family spent two-and-a-half months revamping the place. The bright colors are meant to represent the ocean, which is fitting because “samudra” is a Sanskrit term meaning “ocean.”
Mitchell’s and Niemeyer’s husbands spent many late nights alongside their wives fixing up the building and Mitchell said their hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“They have free yoga and cookies for life,” she said with a smile.
Mitchell said the Evergreen Park neighborhood has been supportive of Samudra Yoga and seem happy to welcome them to the area.
“The neighborhood has really embraced us for sure,” she said.
“They gave us the boost we needed,” Niemeyer added.
Mitchell said she couldn’t have opened Samudra Yoga without her daughter and the pair loves working together on a daily basis.
“And we will never forget the summer of 2009,” she said.
