KALISPELL — A popular Flathead Valley yoga studio is closing two locations due to the economic impacts of the COVID-19.
Mollie Busby -- the owner and founder of Yoga Hive -- opened three yoga studios in Whitefish, Columbia Falls and Kalispell, but says things changed when COVID-19 hit.
"In this era of uncertainty, in terms of expenses and the specific business model that I created, having three studios in the valley wasn't viable," said Busby. "And I think I didn't want to admit that. No one wants to admit that their business model isn't viable because of a pandemic."
The first change is that Busby decided to take yoga hive went online, "we're closing our doors but don't worry as of tomorrow you can sign up and take Zoom classes here's how you do," she said.
But Busby said the online option wasn't working as time went on, "the exciting stuff started to dwindle," said Busby. "It's this on-going effort to convince people to come onto Zoom."
She told MTN News that a huge part of Yoga Hive's clientele simply wasn't coming.
"We rely heavily on tourism especially within the summer months, and right now this is the time when typically all of our friends who spend the summer here come back to town, we see them again," said Busby. "We weren't having that."
So, she made the difficult decision to close her Columbia Falls and Kalispell locations, "probably one of the hardest, saddest decisions I've had to make as a business owner."
Busby told MTN News that she thinks the Whitefish location will be the most profitable adding that once the studio does open up the future of the brick and mortar Yoga Hive is uncertain.
"To answer the question, are people going to come. I have no idea," she said.
If you're interested in Yoga Hive's online classes please visit their website.
