Yellow facade for new Beyond Yoga store, which will be opening at 136 Main St., was criticized by members of the Architectural Review Board and Historic District Commission. They felt the bright design proposed for the storefront would not blend well with others in the shopping center.

By Gretchen Webster

WESTPORT — Two new stores are coming to Main Street, both selling yoga clothing.

Beyond Yoga, a California-based company, will open at the Elm & Main shopping center, formerly known as Brroks Corner, at 136 Main St., and ALO, an international retailer, will set up shop at 44 Main St. in part of the retail space that previously housed OKA home furnishings, which closed last June.

Both yoga stores won approval for storefront signs at a Tuesday joint meeting of the Historic District Commission and Architectural Review Board.

The sign designed for the ALO yoga clothing store at 44 Main St., previously occupied by OKA furniture store, was approved with few comments.

The ALO sign, to be installed on a storefront remodeled in 2022 for the furniture store, was approved unanimously with little discussion.

The Beyond Yoga proposal, however, prompted concern among commissioners, who cited yellow window panels planned for the store’s facade and sign, as well as vinyl accents on the exterior.

Facades of other Elm & Main stores have a more traditional look, with black letters on a white background. The appearance of the Beyond Yoga plan would not blend well with the center’s other storefronts, several commissioners said.

“Modify the [Beyond Yoga] sign so it fits in with the Brooks Brothers sign, and not so much yellow,” commented Grayson Braun, chair of the HDC.

Jake Watkins, a member of Architectural Review Board, agreed.

“There is something uniform with the stores across the front, and uniform is nice,” he said. “Sticking a [yellow] panel across both storefronts changes all that.”

Several members also said the vinyl-like material planned around the windows should be used inside only. 

“I’m concerned about the use of vinyl,” commented Scott Springer, the HDC vice chair.

Although the boards eventually supported the Beyond Yoga plan, the approval was granted with conditions that include removing some yellow vertical trim pieces, moving vinyl-like material inside and maintaining some of the building’s white trim.

Freelance writer Gretchen Webster, a Fairfield County journalist for many years, was editor of the Fairfield Minuteman and has taught journalism at New York and Southern Connecticut State universities.

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