Here’s something happening in the US that the European mind can easily comprehend: Saunas are surging in popularity stateside due to their health and social benefits.
The US sauna market is expected to grow by ~$151 million between 2025 and 2029, according to the market research firm Technavio. Americans are increasingly looking for fitness alternatives and something other than a bar for socializing, leading to more sweatboxes popping up around the country:
- Perspire Sauna Studio recently announced plans to open 15 new US locations, bringing its total to nearly 100. And it has 200 more in development.
- While the US has a ways to go before it’s on the same level as Finland, home saunas are becoming more popular, too. Alongside a decline in alcohol consumption, it’s more evidence that a growing number of Americans are interested in living healthier.
Plus, it’s always fun to reference Seinfeld with a well-timed, “It’s like a sauna in here.”
The new place to meet people
Saunas go well beyond health and wellness for many. They’re now destinations for making friends and business connections while wearing a towel, which tends to be frowned upon at other social places like bars, cafes, and golf courses.
- Othership sauna house in NYC’s Flatiron district has become a go-to destination for the tech crowd who don’t want to conduct business over dinner and drinks. Instead, it’s bathing suits and bikinis followed by a cold plunge, which is also a smart way to make sure no one is wearing a wire (really for Forbes 30 Under 30 people only).
- If your motivation for visiting a sauna is less about finding investors and more about building community, there are saunas for that, too. These smaller, more neighborly options encourage conversation.
Status symbol: Then there’s the sauna’s function of showing guests how well-off its owners are. Some are plunking down six figures to announce that live, laugh, and love has been replaced with undress, sit, and sweat.—DL