Two Stephenville women sharing rental space in the lower level of a building on Main Street believe they’re a good model for how women can support each other and grow their businesses.
Kylie Cook is the owner-operator of Coast Clothing, and Quinn Pike is the owner-operator of Cue Yoga, sharing the 134A and 134B Main Street space.
When Cook moved her business over from across the street about three years ago, she went from 600 square feet to 2,000 square feet and could easily manage her inventory on one side and be happy in that space.
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Pike had originally started her yoga business in 2013, operating out of the Harmon Mini Mall but in November of 2014 opened in the 104 Main Street building, with what she considered to be the ideal space.
A fire in that building in March 2015 put an end to that business, which she had named Happy Warrior Yoga.
Pike wasn’t ready to give up on her dream of operating a yoga studio and held classes several other places during the past three years but really couldn’t find the ideal space.
Enter Cook and the other 1,000 square feet that she wasn’t utilizing.
Pike was looking to expand and offer more classes and she started using the space on a temporary basis in the evening.
“The space just seemed to have the right energy, so we approached it that way and we came to the conclusion this would work for both of us,” Pike said.
Now they have a wall up between the two businesses but also a door if clients want to check out the other side during opening hours.
The two said they face a lot of the same challenges any entrepreneurs face, including the economy in general at this time.
Cook said she has to compete with online shopping but her answer to that is carrying fashions and trends for everybody and having lots of merchandise in the store you wouldn’t find elsewhere in the area.
Pike said while she certainly has the skills to offer when it comes to the yoga side of her business, her challenge is often getting the word out on it.
The two said bringing the two businesses together was not a whole lot of work and was an easy transition for both of them.
Pike said she learned a lot reopening in this new space but recognizes there’s so much more to learn and said it feels great to invest in the community.
The two businesses are having a grand re-opening on Saturday.
