Interview: Sauna House Founder on Building America's First Sauna-Centric Social Venue
Josh Kim built Sauna House in Asheville with no hospitality experience. Now he's planning a national rollout.
Josh Kim didn't come from hospitality. Before founding Sauna House in Asheville, North Carolina, he worked in tech product management. But a formative experience in a Finnish savusauna during a 2019 trip to Tampere planted a seed that would grow into one of the most closely watched concepts in American wellness.
The Origin
SaunaNews: Take us back to the beginning. What made you think Asheville needed a sauna social club?
Kim: It wasn't about Asheville specifically at first. It was about a format I couldn't find anywhere in the U.S. In Finland, the sauna is social infrastructure. It's where people go to decompress, connect, think. I wanted to bring that energy to the States, but in a way that felt contemporary and accessible, not like a traditional spa.
SaunaNews: How did you settle on the model?
Kim: Through a lot of iteration. The first version was much more minimal — basically a couple of saunas and a cold plunge in a warehouse. What we learned quickly is that the ritual matters. People want the full arc: heat, cold, rest, repeat. And they want good food and drink as part of that. So we built out the experience around the full contrast therapy cycle plus hospitality.
We're not selling sauna sessions. We're selling a better Saturday morning than scrolling on your phone at a coffee shop.
The Business
SaunaNews: Can you share anything about the economics?
Kim: What I'll say is that the unit economics are strong once you reach critical mass of membership. Our build-out costs are meaningful upfront — we're talking commercial-grade thermal equipment, plumbing, ventilation — but the operating costs per session are quite low. And our retention numbers are exceptional. Once people integrate the practice into their routine, they don't leave.
What's Next
SaunaNews: You've mentioned national expansion. What does that look like?
Kim: We're actively scouting three markets right now. The criteria are specific: strong wellness culture, outdoor recreation community, walkable urban neighborhood, the right real estate. We're not in a rush. Each location needs to feel like it belongs in its community, not like a franchise dropped from the sky.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Elise Lindgren
Editor-in-Chief, SaunaNews
Elise Lindgren has covered the global sauna and wellness industry for over fifteen years, first as a business journalist in Stockholm and later as founding editor of SaunaNews. She has reported from trade floors in Helsinki, factory lines in Estonia, and boardrooms across three continents. Under her editorial leadership, SaunaNews has become the go-to source for decision-makers across the sauna supply chain.
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