This may be because The Bo Tree in its current state is the product of owner Teri Bowen’s desire to create a “green” yoga studio, or one that would utilize non-toxic, eco-friendly materials in its construction, as well as provide education to the community promoting environmental awareness and eco-living practices.

A follower of yoga herself, Teri has been practicing independently for 15 years and in classes for about seven. She says her regular practice began at a health club in Davis, and it was during this period that the idea to establish her own yoga studio took root.

Teri says it was always her hope to open a studio in the core downtown area; however, at the time of the studio’s inception, there were no viable spaces available to lease that fit the bill. So, in 2002, The Bo Tree opened on Pena Drive in East Davis.

“We made do,” says Teri. “But we didn’t have a lot of choices with the space, and it was very industrial.”

Packaged with her dream to open a studio downtown was the desire to create a “green” studio, but Teri knew such an undertaking would require the perfect building space, as well as a great deal of planning. The East Davis location just didn’t seem ideal.

But in June of that same year, the prospect of a green studio in a visible and central downtown location moved a step closer toward becoming a reality: a space unexpectedly became available on Fourth Street. Teri promptly snatched up the