Upswell is taking some time to regulate.<\/p>\n
The neighborhood \u201cwellness club,\u201d as founder and CEO Heather Holland calls it, has paused selling memberships and is taking a break from regular operations to retool its business.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were one of the first to bring this \u2026 model to Denver, and we\u2019ve really been living the learning curve the last couple of years,\u201d said Holland, who opened Upswell\u2019s first studio at 1842 S. Broadway in 2023. \u201cSo we decided to take this intentional pause to build all these learnings into a long-term plan and reopen with the right long-term blueprint.\u201d<\/p>\n
Upswell\u2019s spots at 3636 Blake St. in RiNo, which opened in July, and 2271 Clinton St. in Central Park, which opened in mid-2024, are now open three days a week, down from seven.<\/p>\n
They offer saunas and cold plunges, compression therapy and infrared therapies three days a week at each location. There are also two types of yoga classes and a mat pilates class, Holland said.<\/p>\n
Holland initially announced a total pause in operations two weeks ago. But after hearing from numerous members that Upswell should stay running in some form, she said, she went to three days.<\/p>\n
The former chief operating officer for national chain CorePower Yoga hopes to fully reopen early in the new year, she said. Membership prices will likely be comparable to the $189 a month Upswell charged prior to shutting down.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt just didn\u2019t feel right to sell a membership when you don\u2019t know what schedule is gonna be,\u201d Holland said. \u201cAbout 80% of our business is the membership model, so we try to make membership really accessible.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Holland said Upswell\u2019s original South Broadway location is in limbo after closing a month ago due to \u201cregulatory ambiguity\u201d around its above-ground cold plunge pool. She said there are different requirements in Denver for in-ground and above-ground pools.<\/p>\n
\u201cMostly the temperature was the difference,\u201d Holland said. \u201cThere are really clear regulations for 77 degree water and above, but there\u2019s a lack of clarity around cold water.\u201d<\/p>\n
The RiNo studio has an in-ground pool, so it doesn\u2019t have the same challenges, Holland said. The Central Park location also has an above-ground one, but is in Aurora, whose requirements aren\u2019t as in flux as Denver.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was hard to interpret what was gonna stick (in Denver), and we want to go with a model that is clearer,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Changing the layout of the South Broadway location to allow for an in-ground cold plunge would be a six-figure ordeal, Holland said. She\u2019s in talks with her landlord and expects to decide in the coming months whether to proceed with construction or close the spot entirely.<\/p>\n
Members spend on average about 40% of their time between the cold plunge and sauna, so it\u2019s an important detail, Holland said. If Upswell does stay on South Broadway, she said, she might add some coworking space.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always been our innovation space, and if we reopen that would remain true,\u201d Holland said. \u201cWhen you\u2019re the first mover, you have to navigate these challenges to pave a path for everyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the other two spots, members can expect a more tailored approach to staffing, hours and class offerings when Upswell reopens.<\/p>\n
In Central Park, it\u2019s more of a family crowd who comes before and after work and early on weekends. In RiNo, people sleep in on Saturdays and Sundays and use Upswell during all hours on the weekdays, Holland said.<\/p>\n
By adjusting the schedules to be more location specific, she thinks Upswell will save money and better the experience for its members.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had been staffed seven days a week, 10 to 14 hours a day,\u201d she said. \u201cSometimes during peak times we\u2019d not be staffed enough, and then off-peak be overstaffed. Part of what we\u2019re trying to do is address the use patterns of each neighborhood.\u201d<\/p>\n
Holland did not disclose revenue or membership figures but said Upswell has \u201creally high\u201d retention rates. It also has about 40 employees, with most part-time, she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn our business, and in any membership based business, retention is key to long-term sustainability,\u201d she said. \u201cOne of the learnings and the insights we really got is the number of members that you need at a certain price and that retention so you\u2019re not constantly trying to chase new members.\u201d<\/p>\n
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