One year in: What PLUNJ has learned about cold, community and commitment

Photo: PLUNJ Park City

PARK CITY, Utah — A year ago, Kimberly Ence opened PLUNJ Park City with a vision: bring contrast therapy, cold plunge and sauna culture to the Wasatch Back in a way that felt local, intentional, and genuinely welcoming. Twelve months later, the studio has racked up nearly 100 five-star reviews, hosted everyone from NHL hockey teams to US Gold Medal Olympians, and sparked at least one romance. Not bad for a first year.

As PLUNJ approaches its one-year anniversary in July, Ence is reflecting on what the experience has taught her and her team.

Finding the right home

When Ence first considered her location just off Old Highway 40 and Forestdale Drive, she had questions. Would clients find a studio tucked away from Park City’s busier corridors? Would foot traffic support the business?

“We wondered how successful we’d be, tucked away in a quiet corner of Park City,” she said. “But our location just off Old Highway 40 and Forestdale Drive has proven to be ideal. Clients love the easy access from the highway, no traffic, plenty of reserved parking, and a fabulous open-space view from our studio windows.”

For anyone who has heard of PLUNJ but isn’t sure exactly where to find it: the studio is not in Redstone. PLUNJ is located at the Forestdale Drive address off Old Highway 40 on the east side of Park City, in its own dedicated space.

The SISU approach

Ence leans on a concept from Finnish culture to describe how her team has navigated the inevitable challenges of a startup: SISU, a word that roughly translates to the ability to overcome obstacles in the face of overwhelming adversity.

“Opening a new business is always full of challenges,” Ence said. “We’ve taken the SISU approach. We’ve learned from our mistakes, stuck to our plan, celebrated the victories and grown our community.”

That mindset appears to have paid off. PLUNJ has not received a single review below five stars in its first year of operation.

Community as the core product

If there is one lesson PLUNJ has taken away from its first year, Ence said, it is that community building is not a side benefit of contrast therapy. It is the point.

The studio has welcomed cycling groups, the Nordic Betties, the Rendezvous Run community, Apres Mahjong, Breathe to the Beat, Wild Women Tribe, Club Pilates members, bridal parties, prom-goers, corporate teams, Sundance attendees, members of The Scout Guide and the Wellness Mafia of Park City, among many others.

“Everything goes well paired with PLUNJ,” Ence said. “The cold water and sauna create community no matter where you come from or how you show up. Everyone is the same in the sauna and the cold. They are a great equalizer.”

More than recovery

Some clients come to PLUNJ for athletic recovery. Others come for stress relief or social connection. But Ence said she has been struck by how the sauna in particular has become a thinking space for some of Park City’s working professionals.

“One local business owner shared with me her three pages of notes taken while she sat in the sauna at 9 a.m., preparing for the day ahead,” Ence said. “She said it was just the quiet space she needed to meditate, create and organize her thoughts.”

The studio’s upstairs meeting space has reinforced that function, offering teams a place to gather before or after a session downstairs, or providing a pre-party room for birthday and celebration groups.

What’s ahead

PLUNJ will celebrate its one-year anniversary throughout the month of July with discounted sessions, giveaways, community challenges and a Happy Birthday PLUNJ party. Details will be announced on the studio’s social media channels and website in the weeks ahead.

For Ence, the milestone is less about marking time and more about doubling down on what has worked.

“With a little SISU and lots more five-star customer service, our community will continue to grow and thrive.”

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