The cost of being a sweat merchant

The cost of being a sweat merchant

Running a hot yoga or Bikram yoga centre can get pretty expensive, and it takes a steady stream of sweat-hungry yogis to keep it going. Here is a sample of the monthly operating budget for a 3,000-square-foot hot-yoga centre (the size recommended by Bikram) in Vancouver offering four classes a day.

Rent (at $25/sq. ft.) $6,250
Instructors $7,200
(average $60/class)
Insurance $200
(property and liability)
Parking rent $1,000*
(10 spots x $100)
Yoga supplies $50
(mats, music, bolsters, blocks)
Cleaners/maintenance $300
Alarm monitoring $50
Administrative staff $4,800
(reception, bookkeeping)
Utilities $900
Total $20,750**

With unlimited passes selling for about $150 a month and 10-class cards going for about the same, this sample business would have to sell 139 memberships or class cards to stay in the black every month.

*The City of Vancouver requires retail spaces to provide one parking spot for every 300 square feet. If these are not part of the lease, they must be rented at nearby parking lots.

**Not taken into account: business loans, interest, staff training costs and building upgrades.