Facing Building Sale & Rent Hike, Russian Hill's Union Yoga To Close

Facing Building Sale & Rent Hike, Russian Hill's Union Yoga To ClosePhoto: Union Yoga/Facebook
Camden Avery
Published on March 15, 2017

Facing a rent hike after its lease ended and its building was sold, popular Russian Hill yoga studio Union Yoga (1200 Union St.) is set to close its doors on May 20th.

Owner Martin Scott, who opened the studio six and a half years ago, has actually held the lease on Union Yoga's space for 15 years (it was previously an interior design company). He was on familiar terms with his landlords, whom he said operated generously. But they decided to sell the building.

"We tried to buy the building, but we couldn't afford it," he said.

The new landlords announced what the new rent would be, and it was cost-prohibitive for his business, so he decided to shut down.

Photo: MJ S./Yelp

Though his studio has a loyal clientele and a perfect five-star rating on Yelp, Scott said he has no plans to find a new location for Union Yoga.

"Right now, because of the state of commercial real estate in San Francisco, I'm not going to do it," he said. "For really small businesses like me, it's just becoming cost-prohibitive to run a business in San Francisco."

"I'm heartbroken, but it's just the sad reality of the climate in San Francisco right now. It's really frustrating to want to be a small businessperson and be part of a community, and you just can't."

"I guess things happen," he concluded. "It just kind of sucks."

Thanks to tipster Jian.