Perspire Sauna Studio, a leading sauna therapy franchise, is expanding into Raleigh, North Carolina, under an eight-unit development agreement led by husband-and-wife team Cory and Kelly Hess.
The first Raleigh location is set to open in early 2025, with additional studios planned for the city and its surrounding areas.
“As former college athletes and lifelong advocates of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, we’ve experienced the incredible benefits of infrared saunas firsthand,” Kelly Hess said. “This is more than a business for us – it’s a way to bring accessible wellness solutions to the community we’ve called home for nearly a decade.”
The duo brings a strong blend of franchising and wellness expertise. Kelly Hess has spent the past eight years managing seven European Wax Center locations, while Cory Hess has over 20 years in the healthcare industry, including serving as president of a Raleigh-based health system.
“We are thrilled to expand into the vibrant Raleigh market with Cory and Kelly,” Perspire Sauna Studio founder and CEO Lee Braun. “Their passion for wellness and deep ties to the community make them the ideal partners to bring our transformative wellness experience to the area.”
As consumers increasingly seek methods to support longevity and recovery, saunas have become a booming business. One recent projection from Grand View Research finds that the North America sauna market is expected to reach a projected revenue of $341.0 million by 2030.
The sauna franchise offers both infrared and red light therapies, allowing customers to stack both options together in a single visit. The combination of the two results has a powerful impact and offers the most effective and cost-efficient method, explained Jackie Mendes, Perspire Sauna VP of franchise sales.
She noted that red light promotes cellular regeneration, while the infrared heat from the sauna ignites and improves the body’s immune system.
“I liken it to lifting heavy weights,” Mendes said. “During strength training, we create small tears in our muscles, which the body then repairs, and that makes us stronger. The heat in an infrared sauna works the same way.”
