I gather this place started out in Soho from one reference
Yelpers like it with a sour apple or two
New York Open Center
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- Delores Q.
- Manhattan, NY
- 0 friends
- 23 reviews
It took me a while and many reviews of the catalogue to decide to finally sign up for a class here and it was great. I love the bookstore and cafe with items to suit a variety of vegetarian and vegan preferences. A very nice space and the workshop I took changed my life for the better! I can't give 5 stars to every class offering but so far my experience has been excellent and I hope to have more in the future. -
- Megan B.
- Brooklyn, NY
- 14 friends
- 8 reviews
As someone who taught there, I was ready to just go along with the flow, teach my one class and be done with it. But their amazingly unprofessional behavior has made me need to reach out to anyone that may be thinking of teaching there at a later time and say "run!"
Taught a class in June and am still waiting to be paid. Was told that the Open Center faces "many financial challenges, and we always pay our bills, though some times they are late" which is impressive considering how much they charge each person to take a course.
Wish I could run my business like them! "Sorry, I always pay my rent...but sometimes it's late. Not sure when you'll get your check..." -
- Heather R.
- Chicago, IL
- 20 friends
- 15 reviews
I have some issues with the Open Center. I'm a clinical massage therapist and I paid a LOT of money to take a continuing education there that would help me work toward a certification in an important massage technique. When I signed up, they were very nice, no issues, asked me to email them a copy of my license. I did so, but never heard back from them about materials for the course (other than sheets and two towels) and whether or not they received my license. As per their payment policy, I paid half up front, and was told I could pay the other half on the first day of class.
The week before class, i suddenly get a phone call asking me to pay my balance. I explain to them that I intend to pay that on the first day of class. Their explanation was that the class was starting "really early" and due to that, they needed payment from me now. They didn't really explain what the start time had to do with any of this, and I told them that I was going to pay on my first day of class. I then asked if they ever received my license, and y'know what? They had no idea. Didn't even know that they'd asked me for it. They eventually got back to me letting me know that they had it. Later that same week though, I got ANOTHER call asking me for payment, to which I gave the exact same response.
First day of class, a very nice woman greeted me, ensured I was registered, and told me to go up to the second floor and wait outside the classroom because the teacher was "running late" and would "call us all in when she was ready for us." 15 minutes in to the class time, the teacher comes out and is like "why were you all waiting out here?" We tell her why, and she had no idea why they decided to tell everyone to wait outside. She was running perfectly on schedule, and was really confused why we didn't just enter the classroom.
Later this same first day of class, we find out that we were supposed to be told about some text books that were necessary for the course, but it was now too late to get in time for the week long continuing education class.
When i went to pay my bill when the front desk was supposed to be open, they wouldn't even LOOK at me when I tried to talk to them. I had to raise my voice in order for the woman to acknowledge my presence, at which point she told me to pay later... Interesting when they worked so hard to try to get my payment before the first day.. When they finally did take my payment later, the girl who was doing it was completely incompetent, and wasted half of my lunch break processing the payment.
As the week went on, we got to know a few of the staff members who turned out to be really kind people. Particularly one gentleman (whose name escapes me unfortunately) who would come in every day and set up and organize our massage tables, class tables, anything we needed, and make sure we were all let in to the building. It was an early morning for him as the class started at 8am, but he was a sweetheart about it.
It comes down to.. this is an ok location to take a class, but if you're looking for anything beyond a hippy-dippy new age class, you might be out of luck. My class was wonderful, my teacher was awesome, but the facility really screwed up when it comes to organization. -
- Joyce G.
- Great Neck, NY
- 10 friends
- 224 reviews
I signed up for a 6 week Tai-chi class through the NY Open Center. They ran a deal on groupon. It was very interesting. The instructor was extremely experienced in Tai-chi, Qi Gong, martial arts and being able to heal through these methods. I enjoyed the class and it was a good experience. I will definitely check out more classes at the NY Open Center in the future. -
- Luchia U.
- Manhattan, NY
- 4 friends
- 16 reviews
If you enjoy hearing people eat while you learn, THIS is your place!
I signed up for an intro class with the idea being: if you like the class, you'll then enroll for the entire course. I went to their website and registered for it but when I got there they said they didn't have me on file. They still let me take the class but by the time I got in, I was 15 minutes late.
THEN not one but TWO women next to me started eating IN class. One had a whole apple and started chewing it on it while the rest of us were trying to hear the teacher. And the other woman had the audacity to bring in an entire bowl of watermelon AND a fork and just ate it right there IN class while the rest of us were trying to hear. WHO DOES THIS?! WHO EATS DURING A PUBLIC CLASS? What freakin mannerless PIGS!
The kicker is, there were TWO Open Center representatives in the class with us. One of whom I specifically asked: Is it normal to be eating IN class?" she said "No" but didn't tell either of the women to stop eating so we could hear the presentation! It was gross. There is no way I'm signing up to take classes where eating like a cow DURING class is allowed.
Both of these women were older, probably in their 50s so they know better they just did it anyway and didn't care if they annoyed anyone around them or not. ***If this is what a woman becomes like after menopause, I don't look forward to it at all!*** -
I will miss jetting over to hampton chutney for a chai on breaks; the new location is brand new roomy and bright. Things that were okay at the old spring street space like the bathrooms are now great! looking forward to seeing more lectures and programs here. Still easy to get to from the N/R line.
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- Jean H.
- New York, NY
- 23 friends
- 130 reviews
tiny book store and holistic "non-profit educational and cultural center" with a limited number of book categories such as relationships, shamanism and native america, body work, etc, but a very good selection within each category. the center also holds classes (weekly sessions and one time classes for what seems to be a reasonable fee range) like writing the personal essay, finding joy, yoga, and various cultural things. the classes looked like they would be taught by very experienced professionals (the personal essay class is being taught by charles salzburg). they also have a small outside rack of books for sale (gardens of the sea, 100% india, egypt, etc). -
- Jennifer K.
- Manhattan, NY
- 0 friends
- 8 reviews
Cool venue with lots of different classes to try in the Heart of Soho. -
- Jia J.
- New York, NY
- 1 friend
- 19 reviews
A place where I can connect with a community of people who understand the true meaning of mind, body and spirit. Great bookstore and meditation room. Also, the new cafe has the best teas and vegan goodies. -
- Dk K.
- Manhattan, NY
- 15 friends
- 2 reviews
The Open Center is a great place to meet like-minded, friendly holistic New Yorkers.. originally from the West Coast, i've found an oasis of calm & inspiration. I especially enjoy visiting the Bookstore & their organic Cafe even if it's just to hang out. The Staff is very knowledgeable and have been very helpful in helping me select everything from new music for my at home yoga practice, an instructional meditation CD (i'm a newbie) which lead me to taking a fabulous Mantra & Meditation class. There's even a meditation room open to the public. This place is a gem.
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