The US fitness franchise sector is extending its geographic reach into some of the country’s most remote markets. In July 2026, HOTWORX, the 24-hour infrared sauna franchise fitness brand, signed a multi-unit franchise agreement to enter Alaska for the first time, committing to four studios across the state with a first opening expected in Wasilla before the end of Q3 2026.
The franchise agreement was announced on July 7 and signed with Tracey Pidge and Ciara Boyce, two Washington state-based franchise operators who already manage HOTWORX studios in University Place and Lacey. Both existing locations have grown to more than 600 members each, making Pidge and Boyce among the brand’s most established multi-unit operators in the Pacific Northwest. Their Alaska commitment brings the total number of studios they are developing to six, spanning two states and a broad geographic range.
Experienced Operators Lead the Brand’s First Alaska Entry
Pidge and Boyce were not first-time franchisees when they signed the Alaska development deal. Their track record with the brand in Washington was a key factor in the arrangement, according to Stephen P. Smith, Founder and CEO of HOTWORX. “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,” Smith said. The first Alaska location is slated for Wasilla, a city in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough north of Anchorage and one of the state’s fastest-growing population centers. Financial terms of the development agreement were not disclosed.
Infrared Sauna Fitness and the Case for Remote Markets
HOTWORX positions itself as a “24-hour infrared sauna fitness franchise,” a format in which members access heated workout sessions in small infrared sauna units without requiring an on-site instructor at all times. The model reduces staffing requirements relative to traditional gym concepts and can operate in a smaller physical footprint, two factors that make it more adaptable to markets with limited commercial real estate options. Alaska’s total population of roughly 730,000 is distributed across a vast territory, which creates logistical challenges that have historically kept large fitness franchise chains out of the state. HOTWORX’s Alaska entry reflects a broader pattern of fitness franchises pursuing markets outside the densely populated Sun Belt and Northeast corridors that have absorbed most recent expansion activity.
Four Studios Planned, With Q3 Opening on the Horizon
The Wasilla studio is the first of four planned locations in Alaska under the Pidge-Boyce development agreement. Specific sites and timelines for the remaining three studios have not been publicly confirmed. HOTWORX has been expanding through multi-unit franchise agreements in recent years, adding new state entries alongside growth in existing markets. The brand currently operates locations across the contiguous United States and describes its membership model as central to the unit economics of each location. The Alaska entry, if it opens on its projected Q3 2026 schedule, would make HOTWORX one of the few fitness franchise brands with a physical presence in the state.
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