Amid Struggles, Owner Shares Story as Anniversary Approaches

Five years ago, Jai Dee Yoga and Wellness Studio opened  in Seminole Heights.

In a community known for bungalows, craft beers and niche businesses, yoga fans flocked to one of the only local options for vinyasa and chakra. A five-year anniversary celebration is being planned for August.

With small businesses coming and going along well-known corridors like Hillsborough and Nebraska avenues, we sat down with Mia Schwegler, manager of Jai Dee since October, about what has kept business afloat at 5803 N. Florida Avenue, and misconceptions about yoga.

Patch: What do you do at Jai Dee?

Schwegler: "We are a full time yoga studio, seven days a week. We have gentle to power, beginner to advanced (yoga). We offer workshops and meditation classes and massage therapy services, and aesthetician services."

Patch: What sets you apart from other yoga studios?

Schwegler:  "We are the only one in Seminole Heights. To be honest, I try not to pay attention to what's happening at other yoga studios in Tampa Bay. We do what works for us here. We have bene upgrading our schedule, bringing in new teachers, offering more challenging options for people who want to sweat."

Patch: What are some misconceptions you've heard about yoga?

Schwegler: "Mostly what I hear is people say I can't do yoga because I am not flexible. My response is, we do yoga because we want to be flexible, not because we already are. It’s a workout for your body and mind, too."

Patch: How do you feel about where you stand as a business in Seminole Heights?

Schwegler: "Once you have found us, you walk in the building, and everyone says, 'I love the space, it's beautiful.' The negative is, we are on busy Florida Avenue. We don’t look like a commercial building where you'd expect to find a business or a yoga studio. So there's struggles. The Seminole Heights bungalow has its ups and its downs."

For more information, go to www.jaideeyoga.com.

Have you been to Jai Dee? Tell us in the comments.