A NEW GATHERING SPACE

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

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 her, and 12 front desk associates, according to Caitlyn, the team is what’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.

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.

natures-spa.com • @naturesspacharlotte

6311 Carmel Road • Charlotte, NC 28226 • (704) 542-7306 thecoterie.studio / @thecoterie.studio

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. 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.

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

Each and every one of our teachers are 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.