Sonoma’s Yoga Community pivots to offer ‘supplies’

Yoga Community owner Lisa Willet has been unable to offer yoga classes in her Fifth Street West studio for more than eight months. She coped with being shut down by almost immediately offering online streaming courses and, a few months later, her husband Ray Willett, an architect, designed a large outdoor covered space that was constructed in Sonoma Garden Park for yoga enthusiasts to keep practicing.

But that wasn’t enough to pay the rent.

After 10 years in business, Willet had to pivot.

In September, she rebranded her space Community Supply and it is now a “general store” of sorts, offering a broad range of lifestyle products beside the yoga and jewelry offerings she's always had, focusing on sustainable products and fair trade.

“I had started the process of moving beyond just yoga support items to sustainable home goods and local handmade goods,” she said, including jewelry, candles, knitted goods, personal care items, medicinal mushrooms as well as kombucha, kefir and sprout kits.

Some of the top sellers in recent weeks, Willet said, include Benson’s Apothecary elderberry syrup and fire cider, Ruth Bader Ginsburg candles and pins, and upcycled Scottish wool lap and throw blankets.

“Great for keeping warm as we continue to eat outside,” she said.

“I really, really appreciate being able to walk into a lovely store, see nice things, shop a bit and support a local business owner right now... more than ever,” said customer Michelle Dale Jernigan in a Facebook post after a visit.

The Community Supply Store is located where Yoga Community was in the Fifth Street West Plaza across from Safeway.

“So many great goodies in all price ranges are available, and the lines offered have been chosen with heart, intention and integrity,” said Dale Jernigan.

Contact Lorna at lorna.sheridan@sonomanews.com.