Two friends have turned their passion for yoga into a new business. Sally Stephens and Lisa Kording have opened Treehouse Yoga at 301 South Grand Ave W.
“We were both in Wendy’s yoga teacher training, the 200 hour class,” said Stephens, referring to Wendy Smith, the owner of Jax Yoga. The Jacksonville-based yoga studio opened a Springfield location in May 2024 that was initially located downtown before relocating to space in a former church on South Grand Avenue that is now shared by several wellness-focused businesses.
Smith told radio station WLDS at the time that many of her yoga trainees are from Springfield, so it made sense to have a second studio there. However, after a little more than a year she decided to close the Springfield location and focus on the main studio in Jacksonville.
“When she told us she wouldn’t be able to manage both the Springfield and Jacksonville locations anymore, we wanted to continue what she had already built here,” said Stephens. “We call Jax Yoga our sister studio, but now Lisa and I own Treehouse Yoga.”
Stephens said she and Kording recently graduated from the yoga teacher’s training program.
“We’re really wanting to create a safe space for all individuals in the community,” she said. Stephens said they also hope to partner with other local businesses. “Part of our mission is building the community here in Springfield, and we want to start having some collaboration.”
The studio offers a diverse schedule of classes including hatha, vinyasa and ashtanga, relaxing restorative and yin sessions, and fitness classes to build strength and endurance. Classes are designed to accommodate all levels, from beginners to advanced practitioners.