HIGHLAND | Sweating it out means more than worrying about finances for the owner of recently-opened Pure Power Hot Yoga.
“It’s very hot,” said Heather Patterson, referring to the temperature in her yoga studio, where the heat and humidity add to the training.
“It feels really good,” she said. “You work up a sweat so you detox, and it helps the muscles to loosen a bit more. It feels really good. People who have been practicing for a while look for that. It’s a definitely a growing part of the practice of yoga.”
A graduate of Purdue University and a former elementary school teacher, Patterson has been involved with yoga for a decade, starting at a studio in Chicago. Five years ago she decided to become a yoga instructor.
“I attended a week-long boot camp in New York taught by Baron Battiste, a well-known yoga instructor,” she said. “I opened a studio in River North that year.”
She ran the Chicago studio while still working a full-time job as an office manager at a sales and consulting firm. After about two years in business, Patterson sold the studio to one of her instructors.
But in 2013, Patterson decided to follow her dream “to do it full time,” she said.
In May, she began seeking a location in Northwest Indiana for the business.
“I grew up here,” Patterson said. “My parents live here in Munster. My boyfriend lives here and I wanted to move back here from the city.”
The 2,000 square-foot of new construction that was divided into a 1,200 square-foot studio, a reception area and dressing rooms. It cost about $30,000 to prepare the location for business.
“We had a whole H-VAC system built for us,” Patterson said. “There’s a furnace that can keep the studio space to 95 degrees, a steam humidifier to keep it humid and UV bulb on furnace to eliminate bacteria and clean the air.”
Patterson financed the business with the help of her family’s saving.
“They’re supporting me financially and emotionally and helping around the studio,” she said. “I’m hoping to be able to earn it back in a year or two.”
The studio’s classes range from an hour to 90 minutes. Clients range in age from 12 years to older than 60, Patterson said.
“There’s no typical age,” she said. “We’ve attracted a lot of new clients and we’ve had a lot of good feedback. It’s good for your body and your mind. It builds strength and helps you to sleep better. It’s just fantastic.”
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