Our Home
About the Studio
Yoga Off East began as the vision of a Duke University alum upon her return to Durham after a career as a Division I collegiate tennis coach. Kathryn Sell Smith realized that yoga would be an integral part of her transition out of a lifelong commitment to the sport of tennis. While tennis remains a part of Kathryn’s life (her husband, Ramsey, is the Duke Men’s Tennis Coach), she has happily traded in her tennis racquets for a yoga mat.
On September 27th, Yoga Off East will move to American Tobacco Campus after 8 years on Ninth Street. YOE instructor Kim Tupper partnered with Kathryn in the summer of 2024 to realize this expansion and relocation project. Yoga Off East is now proudly co-owned by Kathryn and Kim.
Yoga Off East is a sacred space where yogis of all levels are welcome to roll out their mats and flow.
About our Location
In March 2019, Yoga Off East relocated to a larger home at 702 9th Street (formerly Our Play House Toy Store) after being located inside neighboring Happy + Hale for over 3 years. With a 9th Street entrance and double the space, the new studio location has inspired our growing 9th Street yoga community. In addition to offering monthly workshops and specialized class series, the studio now offers an 8-month Yoga Teacher Training Program which runs October thru May each year. Yoga Off East is conveniently located two blocks from Duke’s East Campus.
On September 27, 2024, Yoga Off East will expand and relocate to the American Tobacco Campus in downtown Durham. Just 1.5 miles from the 9th Street location, American Tobacco Campus features 3 parking garages, local restaurants including Parker & Otis and Seraphine, and a whole community of businesses, residents, and retailers. The expanded location will include 2300 sq feet for a 40-mat capacity practice room, a lobby area with self-service tea bar, secure cubbies, and a community table to gather with fellow yogis before and after class.
About our Space
Yoga Off East welcomed renowned artist, 10000 Buddhas, to the studio in the Summer of 2019 to create a mural across the 25 foot drishti wall at the front of the yoga room. Neutral and metallic colors were selected to continue the theme of ease, calm, and peace throughout the space. The healing art is now an integral part of the experience practicing at Yoga Off East and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Pictured right: As part of the studio’s 2024 expansion and relocation, 10000 Buddhas returned to Durham to paint a new mural in the American Tobacco Campus where Yoga Off East has found a new home. This larger scale mural is over 10 feet tall and 30 feet wide and brings blue and gray tones into the restored warehouse aesthetic which includes 17 foot ceilings, large windows, and exposed brick throughout.
Our Neighborhood
American Tobacco Campus, or ATC, is a revitalized historic campus featuring creative office space, restaurants, shopping, and more.
For decades, the American Tobacco Campus and the City of Durham were one of the busiest industrial centers in the country, shipping products around the world. The end of the tobacco industry in Durham put the Bull City in a position to re-invent itself. That process got off to a blazing start right here. Working together, local government and private sector leaders re-made the former American Tobacco factory, developed the Durham Bulls Athletic Park and opened the stunning Durham Performing Arts Center (all located on the campus), rejuvenating this unique city and setting a new live-work-play standard. Fast forward 20 years, and ATC has built a community attracting millions of guests each year for everything from wedding celebrations to meetings and baseball to Broadway. And now, yoga!
“Excellent class. Really nicely paced and great adjustments. Teacher was very friendly and welcoming!”