HOTWORX set to heat up in Alaska

HOTWORX, the sauna fitness franchise specializing in infrared heat, is entering the 49th state. The Marreno, Louisiana-based franchise announced it has reached a franchise agreement for development in Alaska. The franchise owners behind the agreement include Tracey Pidge and Ciara Boyce, who plan to develop four studios in the state.

The franchisee and mother-daughter duo already operate two HOTWORX studios in Washington and expect to open three more studios in the lower 48 states. The first Alaska studio is slated to open in Wasilla in the third quarter of this year. “Tracey and Ciara are exactly the kind of operators we want leading our entry into a new state, and especially in a state with such a unique business climate,” said Stephen P.

Smith, founder and CEO of HOTWORX. “Every new state we enter reflects the growing demand for accessible, 24-hour infrared fitness, and Alaska is a market we have long looked forward to serving. The Wasilla studio is the beginning of a much larger HOTWORX presence across the state in the years ahead.”

The brand currently has more than 800 studio locations with more than 400,000 members. HOTWORX combines infrared heat with isometric and high-intensity interval training in a 24-hour studio model. Studios provide a “3-Dimensional Training” experience, combining three elements: exercise, heat, and infrared energy.

Although Alaska is a new market for the brand, the territory is familiar ground for Pidge and Boyce, who spent decades in the state before moving to Washington.

“We have deep roots in Alaska, including family and community connections that go back generations,” said Boyce. “Those relationships give us a way to introduce HOTWORX to Alaskans that feels personal and genuine. This is a dream we did not want to let pass, and we are grateful to be living it together as a family.”

Pidge and Boyce’s studios in Washington are ocated in University Place and Lacey with a combined membership of more than 600. Boyce is a U.S. Army veteran and certified personal trainer who credits her time in the military with shaping the discipline and leadership she now brings to the studios.

“Alaska winters are long and dark, and we know firsthand how much that affects people,” said Pidge. “HOTWORX gives our members a place to feel warmth, energy, and community during the months when that is hardest to find. Bringing that home to Alaska means everything to us.” HOTWORX first launched in 2017. Franchise opportunities with the fitness brand are available at