A NEW GATHERING SPACE

With the opening of The Coterie, one of Charlotte’s fastest growing areas welcomes a yoga studio.

words SUNNY HUBLER photos JAMEY PRICE

Caitlyn Sheff’s brand new yoga studio on the West Side is the result of many hands. As the name would suggest, with 19 teachers (including Caitlyn) and 12 front desk associates, it's really the team's synergy that's central to the studio’s existence. Behind the scenes, Bob Fullwood and Wyatt Starnes of Enbloc Construction and architects Sarah Feiner and Jessica Hoke of ODA Architecture made the beautiful space a reality.

Here, Caitlyn shares her journey to business ownership, what she hopes to bring to Charlotte with The Coterie, and what to expect when you visit.

When did you decide to start The Coterie?

Going through teacher training back in 2017, my friends and I joked about opening a yoga studio together someday, but by no means did we think it would actually happen. It took until late 2021 when a studio I was working for closed permanently that I began really taking the steps toward making The Coterie a reality. I simply felt like I didn’t have a “yoga home” any longer, and the only way to find one was to build it. I started putting pen to paper, researching SBA loans and touring spaces about a month after the studio closed, and here we are now, a little over a year later.

What got you into yoga and/or movement practices?

I found myself at a yoga studio for the first time at 25. I was in a fairly ungrounded place, struggling with disordered eating and exercising and freshly out of a long term relationship. My therapist at the time was actually a registered yoga instructor, and he really encouraged me to try, knowing it would resonate with me. To say it resonated with me really underestimates the experience. Once I found something that pulled my mindset into a healthier place, I committed fully, and I made a promise to eventually teach this practice and share everything it had done for me.

What sets The Coterie apart from other yoga studios in the Charlotte area?

This is such a great question because I don’t think it’s anything tangible. Very obviously, we aren’t reinventing the wheel, as the practice itself has been around thousands and thousands of years. I think it’s the people: Our staff is truly unbelievable. We and other studio owners I’ve connected with have a “more is more” mentality. More yoga studios means more people doing yoga. More people doing yoga is always a good thing.

Why did you decide to offer the types of yoga on your schedule?

We offer three formats at The Coterie: Prana, Power and Peace. Each was added for their own set of reasons. Prana is our vinyasa yoga format, which is where our teachers are able to showcase

How do you treat yourself?

Nature’s Spa is a purveyor of decadent treats for the soul. As a family owned, appointment only boutique spa, we focus on perfecting every treatment using the finest ingredients and staffing a unique group of highly trained, natural born healers. is charming, petite spa offers a one-of-a-kind experience.

Whether you desire a brief respite from the world or a multi-hour pampering experience, we have a variety of services and packages to help you make the most of your time with us.

We also offer gi certificates so you can share the gi of relaxation.

their gifts… and all of these classes are individually and uniquely curated by the instructor each and every time. Power is a format that I simply love. It is a fusion of yoga and HIIT elements like jumping jacks, squats and pushups, and it is all choreographed to the beat of music. Our final format is Peace, which is our Yin format. Yin is a restorative yoga practice that is truly such a beautiful challenge for the mind. It’s scary to sit in a posture for five minutes and to be left alone with your thoughts, but in this class, the scariest things lead to the biggest breakthroughs.

How do you decide on instructors and how did you build your team?

This team is built with some of my dearest friends, mentors and inspirations. Some I have known since I moved to Charlotte, and some of them I asked on board after taking just a couple of their classes. Each and every one of our teachers is truly amazing. They have a natural way of holding space for others while pushing them toward growth in an extremely supportive way. Each front desk associate is equally incredible.

Is there anything a new visitor or member should know?

Show up as you are, please. Know that there are no prerequisites to being here or to taking a yoga class. We are literally here for you. We are here to help you grow in whatever way is authentic to you. We will meet you exactly where you are, expect nothing from you and support you always.

info thecoterie.studio / @thecoterie.studio

Bar Vins Welcomes All

B“Bar à Vins is a bit like crawling into our heads; It is all of our favorite things,” says Jeff Kellogg who, along with Natalie Stewart, opened the doors to NoDa’s newest wine bar earlier this year.

With a little design help from Katy Kindred, of Kindred restaurant in Davidson, Kellogg and Stewart curated an attractive interior that melds understated elegance with a laidback approachability. Walking inside is also a bit like going over to your most effortlessly cool, slightly offbeat friend’s house, where all the decor is hip and intentionally collected, and anchored in originality.

Co-owners Kellogg and Stewart are longtime friends and wine aficionados. Stewart has been in the Charlotte restaurant scene for 15 years, primarily with Rare Roots Hospitality, the operators of Dressler’s, Fin & Fino, and The Porter’s House. Kellogg, on the other hand, spent years traveling around the U.S., working in wine programs at three-star Michelin restaurants, as well as at more casual neighborhood spots.

Both Kellogg and Stewart are sommeliers, and their experience with, knowledge of, and passion for wine is apparent in the selection available at Bar a Vins. Sippers will find a mix of old and new. There are classic legendary producers mixed with the next generation of producers, as well as larger selections of champagne, chenin, and syrah, which are personal favorites of Kellogg and Stewart. In some ways, Bar à Vins is more bottle shop than bar: Guests can choose their wine from shelves of bottles, or from a shorter menu with by-the-glass offerings. Each offering is listed at a retail price point, with a surcharge applied to customers who choose to sip at the bar.

So, how to choose? When surrounded by so many delicious options, it’s not easy. “We would recommend doing the same thing we do when we visit places with sommeliers we trust, toss them the keys,” says Kellogg. “Let us know what kind of wine you want that night, a price point, and let us bring over some ideas.” Expect to then be presented with a swell of useful information approachably presented and, perhaps, an unexpected yet delicious wine.

If nibbles are needed, take a peek at the Bar à Vins snack menu. Like the rest of the bar, the snack menu melds the indulgent and the everyday. For example, the caviar service pairs rainbow trout roe with Lay’s potato chips for a salty dose of high-low snack heaven. Other options include meat and cheese plates, olives, locally-baked Verdant bread with fluffy butter, and tinned fish.

“Our main goal was to make a fun environment for people to come and drink great wine,” says Kellogg. That’s precisely what this duo of sommeliers achieved. Visit on any night and find a potpourris of people connecting with neighbors and friends over delicious wine and comfortable digs.

info baravinsclt.com