The County is heating up

A sauna that comes to you

Sometimes to see how good an idea can be, all you need to do is look to your past. For couple Spencer Hoyt and Kamee Abrahamian, that common ground is their love of the sauna experience. Both also have a deep cultural connection to saunas through both of their lineages. For Abrahamian, her roots are Armenian and Hoyt’s family comes from Norway. Both places revere saunas as being ingrained in their national identity, and they take the opportunity to sit in a sauna at least once a week. “Many cultural practices include sweating in some way or another, and being in a sauna has positive impacts on your health. It can help you live longer, and it’s been a traditional practice across the world for a very long time,” says Abrahamian.

When thinking of something they could do together that would bridge both of their talents, the original idea was to build a wood-fired hottub at their home. It was just a fun project at the start. The thought was that it would be cool to create it and bring it around to their friends’ houses, and the concept grew from there.

“We love the idea of being able to transport this healthbased wellness practice to a greater audience. We can literally drop something on your doorstep that will make you feel better. We are looking forward to bringing this to the County,” says Hoyt.

The sauna itself sits on a 20-foot trailer. It is comprised of a lounge area with places to rest and lie down and the sauna which can hold six to eight people. If more than eight people are interested in getting into the sauna, Abrahamian recommends rotating through the sauna and hanging out in the lobby. For its heat, the sauna will rely on a mix of propane, solar and battery. The use of the propane is what gives Hot House Sauna the ability to be fully off-grid, and when it’s dropped off at a location, there is no hook-up or extension cord needed to heat up. That gives the company the ability to bring their service pretty much anywhere. All that is required is a piece of flat land.

One “Ah-ha!” moment for the couple was the day they got married. It was important for them both to go to a bath house for a steam before their big day. It was almost like a ritual that needed to be included. They realized after the wedding, that the sauna experience is one that, if executed properly, could be in high-demand in the County on a year-round basis. The winter season here is nice and cold. It’s also a time of year that is still not capitalized-on when it comes to activities and services for locals, and an afternoon in a sauna in the middle of February might sound dreamy to residents unable to feel the warmth of a Caribbean breeze. In the high season, it’s weddings, bachelorette parties and tourists that will likely use the services of Hot House Sauna.

“First and foremost it’s a service that we want to bring to the community and make it accessible, but at the same time we are confident it’s something that be successful year-round,” says Abrahamian.

Both are artistically-minded producers. Hoyt went to school for sustainable architecture at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts. Abrahamian has an extensive background in theatre, producing and touring shows under her own company called Kalik Arts. The couple met in Hoyt’s hometown of Los Angeles. Abrahamian hails from Scarborough, but was in LA touring a theatre production called Dead Armen. Hoyt was working on becoming an E.M.T at the time and the two lived in California for a few years before moving to Portland and eventually back to Canada to be closer to family. They knew they wanted to live somewhere rural, and Abrahamian’s cousin had a place in Sophiasburgh.

“They were currently not living there and really wanted us to move in so that we could work on it and have it lived in, so luckily, the County just fell into our lap and we feel very privileged to be here,” says Abrahamian.

Hoyt adds that although they did want to live in a rural area, it was the County that has all the boxes checked when it came to what they were looking for in a future home. The area had already been on the couple’s radar as a possible place to live, and even in Portland they had begun researching local businesses and connecting to County establishments on social media. When they decided to take the plunge, it was still under the guise that they would try it out and see how it goes. But as soon as they moved to the County they knew it was the place for them.

“The more settled we get in the County, the better it becomes,” says Hoyt.

This is not the first project the couple had taken on together. They built their first home together in Portland, Orgeon where Hoyt was working as a carpenter. It was two-year, deep renovation that demanded a lot from the two of them. The house reno was also happening at the same time they were expecting their first child, Saana. The stress level could not have been higher, and the couple learned to rely on each other and work together.

As a theatre producer, Abrahamian is trained to always know what she is getting into. So, the couple decided to do some legwork online and find out about the area. The couple started following popular establishments among other people and things in the County to help them get a feel of the demographic. The more the two go to know the place and the people, the more they realized that their dream project of a portable spa experience would work really well in the County. The two found their Shangri-La, where anything is possible.

To showcase the project that Hoyt and Abrahamian have been so hard work at, the couple will be launching Hot House Sauna on January 6 from 2 – 6 p.m. at Ten Acre Wood just outside of Picton. The sauna will be heated and ready to go, and Ten Acre Wood owner Kevin will be making food outside on the fire as well some traditional Armenian finger foods. There will some hot drinks and Hot House Sauna will be open for anyone to try. It is recommended that if you are interested in trying the sauna, that you wear your swim trunks under your clothes, as there are no individual change rooms. As far as rates, Hot House Sauna will be working off a sliding-scale, which is something that Abrahamian is well-versed in. It basically means that the company will offer a range of pricing and the consumer gets to choose the appropriate rate. It’s an unorthodox way of pricing, but also one that can be very endearing to customers. It’s a great way for this new business to not outprice themselves and get to know their client-base. You can catch Hot House Sauna next at the Ice Box outdoor art event from February 2-10 at Macaulay House in Picton, and also at Three Dog Winery on Family Day weekend.