Exhale Yoga: New Manchester business opens June 30th

Exhale Yoga Studio opens June 30th, with a ribbon cutting and open house from 5-6pm. Exhale, operated by Anna Deevers, will be the most recent in a surge of new businesses to open in Manchester this summer.

Located in the old Manchester Bakery, Exhale Yoga will offer over 20 classes a week. Anna, who has been instructing for over 3 years, along with fellow instructors, Andrea Jennings and Elizabeth Knight, will teach a variety of class types for all ages; men, women, and kids. There will be beginners yoga, self defence, yinyasa, ashtange, and power yoga; to list a few. Drop-in costs $12, with many different membership packages offered as well.

Anna, and her family, have called Manchester their home for more than 2 years. While teaching at the Manchester business, The Distance, Anna found locals had a great appetite for yoga.  There are almost no dedicated yoga studios in the Washtenaw/Jackson/Lenawee county corner.  Most of her students drove 30 or more minutes to Ann Arbor or Jackson to take classes. So for the last year Anna has been looking for a location for her own yoga studio. At first she considered Saline, but the massive construction through the city kept her from making any progress.

Recently, she noticed the rental sign on the bakery, and took a chance. When I spoke with Anna, she kept emphasizing how, “Everything fell into place.” From how quickly she was able to move forward with the bakery space, to how she met her co-instructors, and specially how the interior of the old bakery already felt ideal for a yoga studio.

She had to move a few things to open up the space, but the wood floors and exposed brick of the bakery gave the place an ambiance she didn’t want to change to much. “I was mindful of the integrity of the space, everything was very considered, I know it is an iconic spot.” She stated.

“We want it to be a come as you are place.” Anna described her vision for Exhale. She knows many people who have never tried are intimidated by yoga. “You and your mat. It’s about what you can do, not about standing on your head.” With pricing affordable compared to the Ann Arbor area, Exhale Yoga will be a good place to try something new, or enjoy yoga a bit closer to home.

Years ago Manchester residents spent their mornings at the old bakery taking time to enjoy each other’s company and getting energized before proceeding with the rest of their day. Anna’s plan for Exhale Yoga hopes to reassert that tradition in a slightly different format, building on the core concept of community the old bakery started. For information or classes and packages visit their website.

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by Danielle Muntz

Danielle lives in Manchester Township and has many interests which she takes part in with varying degrees of success. She can be reached at Danielle.Does.Stuff@gmail.com.