Inspiring Conversations with Paige Derouin of Argosy Yoga & Shop

Today we’d like to introduce you to Paige Derouin.

Hi Paige, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
The story of Argosy (pronounced “ar-guh-see”) begins when the COVID pandemic forced local yoga studios to temporarily close their doors for in person classes. I love teaching yoga and still wanted to provide a space for people to practice, but also realized quickly that the Zoom yoga experience – while better than nothing – just wasn’t the same. At the same time, my business partner Noah was looking for an exciting new project to fill the ample quarantine time. We were able to merge both of our interests when we found a beat up 1974 Airstream Argosy for sale on Facebook Marketplace. We immediately jumped on the opportunity and began renovating our trailer in April of 2020.

After a long summer of laying down new floor, hammering out dents, riveting, painting, and installing a draft system for on-tap drinks, we were finally ready to host some events! In August, we began hosting weekly yoga outdoors in North Raleigh. Since then, we’ve continued hosting regular classes in Raleigh and have been excited to also offer yoga in Greensboro, Durham, and even Emerald Isle.

More than ever before, people all over North Carolina are looking for ways to reconnect and spend time in community with each other. We love being able to offer COVID-safe opportunities for people to enjoy nature, meet new friends, and sip on a refreshing draft beverage. Throughout much of the pandemic, Argosy has provided a reason for people to get out of the house, move, breathe, and be together. We view that as a true accomplishment and are looking forward to a lot of great things to come.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As with the start of any small business, we have certainly had some challenges!

For one, renovations on the trailer took much longer than we originally anticipated. When we bought our Argosy, it was completely gutted – it didn’t even have a floor or a door that latched, which made for an interesting first drive back to Raleigh from Asheville. The trailer had clearly been home to several living organisms during its previous life, including squirrels, moss, and an entire ant colony. It also had a nasty dent on one side, which took Noah a lot of physical and mental willpower to hammer out. At times, it felt like we were never going to be ready to host yoga! Even now, the trailer is not all the way finished on the interior – it’s a work in progress and we’re taking it day by day, but it’s come a long, long way.

Also, weather has been a consistent obstacle for us. Having outdoor yoga classes in January and February wasn’t easy and we had to cancel or reschedule many classes to get through the winter. It was frustrating at times, but it made the arrival of nice spring weather even more exciting.

As you know, we’re big fans of Argosy Yoga & Shop. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Argosy is a mobile yoga studio and coffee shop. We primarily offer outdoor yoga experiences followed by draft cold brew coffee, kombucha, and tea. You can find us at parks, breweries, and pop-ups in the triangle area, and we’re also available for private events.

We offer five draft beverages poured straight from the side of our trailer! All of our coffees and teas are cold brewed and created by Noah with the exception of our kombucha. The unique kombucha flavors we offer (think watermelon lime and orange vanilla) are created by Wild Roots Kombucha, an awesome woman-owned business out of Fayetteville. We are also proud to use coffee beans from Durham roaster Little Waves Coffee for all of our coffee-based drinks, including our fan-favorite Tart Cherry Cold Brew Coffee Lemonade (trust us!)

We so excited about the community that we are creating and truly believe that anyone, regardless of yoga experience, can gain something from participating in our classes. When you come to an Argosy event, expect to hang around for a while after to soak up the outdoors, connect with new people, and enjoy a cold drink.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
What’s not to love about Raleigh? It has a little something for everyone. I feel strongly that everyone can find something to love about being here – whether it’s great outdoor spaces, awesome food, or a cool social event. It feels small but has so much to offer. Plus, Raleigh’s location makes for an easy trip to either the beach or the mountains! Because of all the perks of living here & the proximity to RTP, Raleigh is expanding a lot, and with any growth comes the growing pains of construction and traffic, but overall there’s really nothing to complain about here.

Pricing:

• Yoga class – $10
• Drinks range from $3-5 for a glass or $7-10 for a growler

Contact Info:

• Email: argosyyoga@gmail.com
• Website: https://www.argosyyoga.com/
• Instagram: @argosy.yoga
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/argosy.yoga/

Image Credits
Jill Disney Photography Jared Bun Media