Opening a sauna business in Minneapolis is a pretty good bet. Sauna culture is so intertwined with Minnesota culture that national outlets like the AP News and The New York Times have profiled it in the last year. Truly embracing the cold winters, people sit in hot saunas and then plunge into the cold – with some opting to dip into nearby lakes and streams – to get the full contrast of temperatures.

PORTAL° Thermaculture is bringing this process to 3120 Excelsior Boulevard in the West Maka Ska neighborhood in February. It’s the second location for owner Will Drescher, who splits his time between Minneapolis and Boulder, where the business launched in early 2024. Kyle Kinglsey, a Minnesota medical doctor who has been at the forefront of the medical cannabis industry, is also a partner in the business.

PORTAL° will feature three saunas, a cold plunge pool, showers, locker rooms, and indoor and outdoor lounge areas.

A mock-up of the PORTAL° cold plunge pool. Image courtesy of Will Drescher

Drescher said he wants PORTAL° to be more than just a place to get hot and cold inside.

“I call it a ‘dry dive bar’ built around a social sauna,” Drescher said in an interview with Southwest Voices in November. “It's a wellness service-based business that's centered around developing community and healthy alternatives for connections that don't involve alcohol.”

A mock-up of a PORTAL° sauna. Image courtesy of Will Drescher

Enthusiasts say going from the sauna to the plunge pool is also really good for you. Contrast therapy, especially the cold water exposure, resets a person’s vagal tone, activating a person’s relaxation response, according to Drescher.

“We can get all sciencey about it,” Drescher said. “We can also say, ‘Hey, I do this and I feel better.’ But exposure to cold water releases as much dopamine as substances that are used recreationally.”

Drescher said he wants PORTAL° to be a “quasi-therapeutic experience,” something he has seen for people at the Boulder location.

“One of the things I really love is it attracts people who maybe wouldn't necessarily be into mental health but would be into physical wellness or community, or having something fun to do on a Friday night,” Drescher said.

PORTAL° plans to offer a free week to all customers, then charge $35 for hour-long sessions. Monthly memberships will also be available.