The yoga studio at C Avenue and Second Street in Coronado has a new name and bigger ambitions.

Yoga on C, founded by Erin Ayres, has rebranded as Popflow and is preparing to open a third location, the Coronado Times reported Wednesday, Aug. 26. The rebrand also covers Ayres' second studio, B Street Yoga in Golden Hill, which opened in January 2025.

The two studios had operated under separate names, and Ayres said many customers did not realize they were connected. With a third location on the way, she and operations director Bill Hughes decided to unify under one brand.

The name combines "pop" and "flow." Ayres told the Coronado Times: "I thought of pop like hit or jumping or even my personality. I can pop off a little bit. I'm kind of edgy … Then 'flow', obviously, for yoga and the flow of life."

Hughes said the shift also reflects expanded class offerings. The studios now teach Sculpt and Pilates alongside yoga, making a yoga-specific name limiting.

A rocky start

Ayres announced plans to open the Coronado studio in 2019 but hit repeated permit delays. ADA compliance issues and SDG&E wiring problems kept pushing back the timeline. Then, just as she received final approval, COVID-19 shutdowns arrived.

She was the sole employee. That low overhead, combined with loyal Coronado members, kept the studio alive while other fitness businesses closed.

"I watched other gyms go under, including the studio that basically raised me … I honestly couldn't tell you exactly how I stayed open. I had support, I had loyal people, and I think my low overhead — since it was just me — is what saved me," Ayres said.

She credited community support for the studio's survival, saying Coronado rallied to keep the business open during the pandemic.

From one studio to three

Ayres taught yoga on and off Coronado Island for a decade before opening her own space. She wanted to bring a CorePower-style mix of yoga, strength and restorative classes to a community where the nearest CorePower locations were in Point Loma and North Park.

The Golden Hill studio sits in a building Ayres and Hughes believe is over 100 years old. It features accordion garage doors and was likely once a car maintenance garage. Hughes found the rare commercial space, and Ayres funded the renovation with savings from years running Yoga on C.

The Coronado location has built a multi-generational membership, welcoming people from age 11 into their 80s. A goldendoodle named Maple serves as the studio mascot.

The third Popflow location has not been publicly announced. Ayres and Hughes have not disclosed the address, neighborhood or opening date. Residents can follow updates at @popflowstudios on Instagram.