Sara Delgado traded waitressing for warrior poses.
Delgado launched Lavender Lounge Yoga & Wellness Studio at 17 S. Broad St. in Norwich, in February 2022.
“I have been a waitress and worked in the restaurant industry and just always kind of done that, for the last 20 or so years,” she said. “I used to be a yoga student and just decided to work on my 200-hour teacher training to get my certification, then an opportunity was presented to open the studio, so that’s what I did.
“I opened the studio last February, so it’s been just a little under a year,” Delgado continued. “During COVID, I was not working, so I was able to take that time to work on my certification … and once I had that, I was like, ‘what am I going to do with it?’ and that’s when the idea was presented to open the studio.”
Lavender Lounge offers several forms of yoga and wellness-oriented movement disciplines, Delgado said.
“It’s really just yoga right now, and we’re also doing Qigong and Tai Chi, so that’s where the wellness came in,” she said. “I teach a couple (forms of yoga); it varies from a vinyasa to a slower flow to yin yoga. I have two other teachers that work there — one girl from Oneonta who teaches, and a gentleman, (Josh Kelly), who teaches Qigong and Tai Chi. I knew when I opened the studio that Josh was going to be part of it, and he’s been part of the (Norwich) Y for a while, and he’s very passionate about his practice.”
According to Lavender Lounge’s social media, the space is “a beginner- and intermediate-friendly studio, (offering) a variety of classes and instructors to promote physical and emotional wellness through yoga and fitness.” The group goal, it says, is “to nurture the mind and body through movement and stillness while (clients) develop a deeper relationship with self.”
Delgado said varied class offerings have generated a mix of customers, though she’s hoping to broaden her reach.
“Really, it’s local (people), or people coming through the area for a visit,” she said. “We definitely do (get a mix), especially with the Qigong, and (with the yin yoga), I do have some people who are older coming to those classes.
“We’ve been having a little bit of a hard time getting it out there, and that it’s available,” Delgado continued. “People will say, ‘Oh, you have a yoga studio? Where is it?’ So, a lot of people don’t realize … but we’re starting to get more people coming in and knowing about us. We’re launching our website and we just started doing a monthly moon-phase yin yoga workshop and that was really successful.”
Personally and professionally, Delgado said, she hopes to keep evolving.
“We’re just going to plan on expanding classes at some point, when the time is right, and offer different workshops,” she said. “I’m doing my 500-hour training, so it’s just a matter of growth … and taking that knowledge for students and continuing doing what I’m doing, but it’s also nice to be able to expand that knowledge and do more. These things are important, when you have people coming in to better their health. No matter what you’re doing, you have to grow; you can’t stay stagnant.”
For more information and a class schedule, find “Lavender Lounge Yoga & Wellness Studio” on Facebook or visit lavenderloungeyoga.com.