Skip to content

New yoga studio opens in Bright’s Grove

Cathy Dobson For Nicole McColl, practicing yoga and meditation is a lifesaver. “At the very least, it’s a life-lengthener,” says the 36-year-old mother of two.
BizJournal
Instructor Michel Martin and owner Nicole McColl of the new Saat Lune Yoga Studio. Cathy Dobson

Cathy Dobson  

For Nicole McColl, practicing yoga and meditation is a lifesaver.

“At the very least, it’s a life-lengthener,” says the 36-year-old mother of two.

The owner of the new Saat Lune (Seven Moons) Yoga Studio in Bright’s Grove has an extensive background in palliative care and hospice nursing, management and teaching. She knows what stress feels like.

“In 2011, I separated from my husband and felt a loss of control,” she explained. That’s when McColl, who has practiced yoga since her teens, also turned to meditation to cope.

“It changed everything,” she said. “It allowed me to feel grounded and have balance in my life.”

When she met her new partner, Michel Martin. Both were yoga fans and wanted to become yoga instructors. They took more than 200 hours of training at the East Street Station in Goderich and became registered Yoga Alliance instructors.

“About half way though I decided I wanted to open a studio,” said McColl. “The deeper we got into the program, the more that passion grew.”

She started by teaching at Huron Oaks Golf Course, then at her home. As her clientele grew, she kept her eyes open for a good location for a new studio.

McColl also sought help through the Self Employment Benefits program at the Sarnia-Lambton Business Development Corporation. The program was abruptly cancelled by the provincial government recently, and McColl was one of the last to get assistance. The program helped her with a business plan and with conducting a market study of the Bright’s Grove area.

When she decided to open Saat Lune on the second floor of a commercial building at 2695 Hamilton Rd., she knew there were 163 households within a kilometre with residents aged 45 to 65 and two incomes.

That was important, because she knew that age group was her niche.

“Yoga is for everyone but, from a business perspective, that’s my market,” she said. “They are the baby boomers who want to be active but may have a few aches that they can stretch out with yoga.

“They can also afford to pay for it and are a reliable age group that will commit.”

Saat Lune Yoga Studio opened July 20 in an airy space with large windows and lots of natural light. McColl and Martin offer a variety of yoga classes, meditation and Reiki, Monday through Saturday in the mornings, afternoons and evenings.

Children’s yoga for 6 – 12-year-olds is held on Saturday mornings and is proving popular, said McColl who has a diploma in Early Childhood Education.

“It’s beneficial for children with a lot of energy and can help with hyperactivity or inattentiveness,” she said. “Parents are often shocked to see their children can meditate.”

To find out more, call 519-908-9777 or visit www.saatlune.ca.

10TH ANNUAL LADIES’ FALL EXPO

Tickets are on sale now for the My Secret Garden Ladies’ Fall Expo, held annually at the Dante Club on London Road. The expo takes place on Thursday, Oct. 1 from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. and features entertainment, a fashion show, door prizes and winetasting.

Admission is $5 with proceeds going to Noelle’s Gift. Call 519-542-3301 for tickets and details.

Got an interesting business story? Contact Cathy Dobson at 226-932-0985 or [email protected].


Join the Community: Receive Our Daily News Email for Free