Hotworx Expands to Alaska with Wasilla Studio

Alaska Debut

Hotworx is about to plant its first flag in Alaska. Mother-daughter operators Ciara Boyce and Tracey Pidge plan to open in Wasilla within two months, expanding a July 2022 franchise agreement that already produced studios in Tacoma and Lacey, Washington. The Wasilla site is part of four Alaska locations the pair secured in August 2025, extending a brand that now counts 800-plus studios nationwide.

Community Roots

Their bet on Wasilla runs deeper than a market gap. The duo keeps a clear mantra close to their planning: "Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, and small minds discuss people." Pidge moved to Alaska in middle school and raised Boyce there, ties that shaped the choice of a small but connected community of about 8,849 residents for their first Alaska studio (city-data.com). Boyce, a U.S. Army veteran turned personal trainer, frames the studio as a welcoming third space to complement the state’s outdoor culture, a place to gather with intention when winter closes in.

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Leadership Culture

Day to day, Boyce leads operations with a participatory model that invites staff input and closes the loop on support. Her approach blends military discipline with coaching instincts and regular touchpoints on motivation and strategy, including discussions sparked by Forbes and New York Times articles. She puts a simple question to studio leaders: "As your operator, what do you need from me, what are we missing, and what can we improve on?" Pidge, set to retire from her full-time role this month, will transition into full-time operational support to help carry that culture across future locations.

Local Anticipation

Local anticipation is already visible. Boyce says she is ready to "paint the town orange", a nod to Hotworx’s signature branding. She has positioned the concept as a remedy for winter isolation, offering a consistent, indoor wellness routine for residents who crave community when temperatures dip. Pidge sees the same resolve in her partner. "I have no doubt that we will be successful as we continue this journey because of [Boyce’s] skills, her mindset and her saying: ‘It’s not a matter of if; it’s a matter of how,’" Pidge said. "I’m thankful and blessed to have her as my partner in this journey, and I’m looking forward to what we have ahead of us."

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Expansion Timeline

The timeline is tight and deliberate. Their franchise path began with the July 2022 agreement for five units across Washington and California, followed by openings in Tacoma and Lacey. The Wasilla studio is scheduled within two months and is set to launch roughly eight months after their August 2025 signing for Alaska, with a goal of having all four Alaska locations operational by early 2027. Beyond Alaska, Boyce and Pidge plan to open the remaining two Washington-based studios and any additional units from their original five-studio commitment within the next five years. To support scale, they are formalizing an eight-person leadership team, including Boyce’s husband as maintenance manager.

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Market Demand

The demand picture supports the move. The U.S. fitness and gym club industry generated about 47 billion U.S. dollars in revenue as of February 2026, with over 108,000 businesses employing more than 900,000 staff (statista.com). Globally, the wellness economy reached 6.7 trillion U.S. dollars in 2024, with the physical activity segment valued at roughly 1.14 trillion and spa services at 157.4 billion (statista.com). Hotworx’s infrared sauna workouts sit at the crossroads of those categories, a hybrid of fitness and spa that fits markets seeking indoor, year-round wellness options.

Challenges Ahead

Questions remain that will test execution. The team will need to sustain attendance through extreme weather, manage supply chain swings for specialized sauna equipment, and stand out against home-fitness habits and the state’s powerful outdoor draw. No public franchise performance metrics are available yet for Alaska, so projections lean on analogous data and local dynamics. Boyce and Pidge plan regular reviews of membership and retention data, paired with hyperlocal marketing from weekly Google profile updates and chamber luncheon appearances to strategic business collaborations, to refine programming and keep the model resonant in Wasilla.