South Street’s Yoga Child Changing Ownership

Big news in the Philly yoga-verse: After eight years in business Yoga Child on South Street—a studio that introduced many of us to the concept of pre- and post-natal, as well as family yoga—is changing hands. It was purchased by popular Narberth studio, the Yoga Garden. It will be Yoga Garden owner Mark Nelson’s first city spot.

In keeping with the yogi ethos, this was no hostile takeover. In fact, Yoga Child founder Gail Silver had been long looking for a partner or buyer. “I took a class at the Yoga Garden last summer, and when I walked in I got a chill in my body,” says Silver. “I thought, ‘This is what Yoga Child needs to be’. I immediately reached out to the owner.” The process took about year (“I wasn’t quite ready to let go,” explains Sliver) but the studio will close for the month of August for renovations and reopen under the new ownership in September.

For those moms, kids and preggers who have come to rely on Yoga Child for their practice, hold your water: The studio will continue to offer those prenatal and yoga baby classes, as well as the popular Moving Through Labor series (which Silver will teach). There are also plans to expand the adult options.

The changeover leaves Silver with more time with her own kids and to pursue other passions: Continuing to expand her Yoga Child school program, continuing to write (check out her two children’s books here; a third one is in the works) and being able to get back into the studio to teach.

So how has the yoga scene changed since she opened her doors eight years ago? “Yoga has exploded in this city,” says Silver. “Years ago I had to dig and search to find instructors, now there are so many more people interested in yoga.” She’s humbled by the community of midwives and OBs and moms and kids she’s met over the years. And ditching the ownership title from her CV will give her more freedom. “I’m looking forward to getting to know the students again,” she says.