The top review on this record was written by someone who now owns the studio, and she says so herself. That's the first thing you need to know before reading anything else here.
Sage Yoga is at 25 W Church Street in Newark, Ohio. It shows 4.5 from 8 reviews, which is a sample so small that a single rating moves it visibly. The newest review is August 2022.
The Owner's Review
A member in August 2022, five stars: "My favorite yoga studio for 20 miles. It feels like a family, it's so welcoming. Book classes online or just drop in for class. 4 years later edited to add: I am now the studio owner! I'm so proud of this community and their commitment to each other and their yoga practice. We overcame the shut downs brought on by the pandemic, never-ending financial hits, and the dispersal of our community, and we're here, still breathing and moving and learning together."
Let me be careful with this, because it's easy to be unfair in either direction.
She wrote the original review as a customer, years before she bought the place. That part is a genuine customer review. Then she came back and edited it, and here's the thing:she disclosed. She could have quietly left a glowing five-star review sitting at the top of the listing and said nothing. Instead she announced the conflict of interest herself, in the review, unprompted.
That's honest. It's also a five-star rating from an owner, now sitting in an 8-review average, and you should weigh it accordingly. Both things are true.
The useful facts inside it: you can book online or drop in, and the studio survived the pandemic closures. That last part is her word, but she'd know.
The One-Star From Someone Who Never Went
A reviewer in December 2018, one star: "It is with a heavy heart that I write this, even more so since I have never been to this studio. Four days ago I reached out to them via a Facebook post with a question in regards to a scheduled class. I didn't receive a response so I opted for give them the benefit of the doubt. Two days later I sent same question via messenger. It was read almost immediately, no reply. How do people stay in business treating potential clients this way?"
She says it plainly: she's never been there. So this isn't a review of the yoga.
What is it a review of? Message responsiveness in December 2018, under previous ownership, seven and a half years ago. Her frustration is real and her account is specific. But a one-star rating on a facility she never entered is dragging that 4.5 down on the strength of two unanswered Facebook messages, and you should read it as exactly what it is.
What It Was Like Before
A member in January 2017: "This studio is beautiful and the instructors here all make you feel so welcome and comfortable. They offer a wide range of classes and workshops to fit anyone from beginners to advanced. Vinyasa, Hatha, Yin, Chair, and more."
Vinyasa, Hatha, Yin, Chair. That's the only class list on the record, and chair yoga matters, because it's the one that's actually accessible if you can't get down to a mat.
A member in August 2017: "Beautiful studio!! I've been without a studio/instructor for a while now, practicing mostly on my own. I stumbled across Sage and I'm so happy I did! Kelli made me feel right at home for my first class. The prices and schedules are perfect for me."
That's a first-class review, written after one visit, and "prices are perfect for me" with no figure attached is worth nothing to you now.
A member in October 2019: "The teachers are excellent. They each have their own style and there is a wide variety of classes and times available."
What's Missing
No prices. No hours. No phone number. No website on the listing at all.
Nothing written since August 2022, and that review was the owner's.
Note that the class list is from January 2017, and ownership has changed since. I wouldn't assume the timetable survived.
Who It's Not For
Anyone who needs current information. The most recent voice here has an obvious stake, and the rest is from 2017 to 2019 under different ownership.
Anyone wanting a gym. This is a yoga studio.
25 W Church St, Newark, OH 43055.
FAQ
Why is the top review flagged?
The reviewer edited it four years later to disclose that she'd become the studio owner. She volunteered that herself, which is to her credit, but it's still a five-star rating from an owner inside an 8-review average.
What about the one-star review?
The reviewer states she has never visited. She's rating a failure to answer Facebook messages in December 2018, before the current ownership.
What classes do they run?
Vinyasa, Hatha, Yin and Chair were named by a member in January 2017. That's nine years old and the studio has changed hands since.
Should I trust the 4.5?
Not much. It's 8 reviews, one from an owner and one from someone who never attended.