Story
Cowboy Sauna + Cold Plunge was created out of an overwhelming desire from the Austin LGBTQIA+ community call for a new inclusive space for us to gather and be ourselves. In September of 2023, the idea of Cowboy Sauna was born, and our mission was to create an inclusive space for an underserved market with a focus on healing through heat.
Cowboy Sauna + Cold Plunge launched an aggressive crowdfunding campaign in April of 2024 to take action on that mission by tabling in queer spaces such as coffee shops, book stores, and events to generate attention. The overwhelming positive support and messages has been our prime mover to deliver for our community.
We feel communities need spaces to gather without alcohol, a space where you can show up wherever you are in your healing journey. Life can be pretty stressful. Work, kids, family, life in general has stress. Well, the best way we know to relieve stress, the most efficient and effective, it literally works every time is… the sauna. The proof is in the benefits; detoxification, increased metabolism, weight loss, increased blood circulation, pain reduction, anti-aging, skin rejuvenation, improved cardiovascular function, improved immune function, improved sleep, stress management, and relaxation.
That’s why we’re crowdfunding to build the most beautiful sauna and sauna experiences for the community. Because Austin deserves it, you deserve it. With your support, we can make this dream a reality and create a safe, healthy and inclusive space for all.
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Our goal is to raise $50,000 to cover the cost of building and equipping a full-service year round sauna. This includes sauna construction, equipment, and initial supplies. Additionally, the funds raised will help us hire and train staff to provide excellent customer service and make sure our customers have the best experience possible.
Experiences
Social Sauna Session (4hrs)
Join us for our social sauna session. In line with many thermal bathing traditions, you will share the sauna with other people. Relax, connect — together. When you join us for this session, multiple parties and up to 10 individuals will be present.
- Towels
- Sauna and Cold Plunge
- Clothing Optional Sauna
- Herbal Tea + Aromatherapy
- Time to Rest & Rejuvenate
- Large Cowboy Pool (Fits 6-8 Adults)
Monthly Unlimited
Discover the profound benefits of sauna as a regular practice. Enjoy a month unlimited membership to our Cowboy Sauna experience that features wood-fired saunas, access to our cold plunge, aromatherapy, fresh towels, and more. After purchase date, the membership is valid for 30 days. Memberships can only be used by one guest.
2024 Event Calendar
- Grand Opening Party
- Live Music Listening Party
- Austin Pride Festival After Party
- Hot Yoga Sessions
- Rotating Massage
What We Need & What You Get
- Construction: $18,000
- Finishes & Features: $5,000
- Equipment: $9,000
- Property Management: $6,600
- Safety & Insurance: $1,300
- Security & Tech: $1,800
- Software: $330
- Furniture: $2,100
- Supplies: $1,300
- Permits & Licenses: $2,000
- Marketing: $2,500
We are hoping to raise $50,000 through Indiegogo, which will be used primarily to build out a fully functioning space, purchase equipment, and supplies. Anything above and beyond this amount will be put towards the costs of staffing and marketing.
TIMELINE
Q2
- April: Crowdfund & Tabling Starts
- May: Crowdfund Closed
- June: Lease & Contracts signed
Q3
- Build-Out Begins
- Structure Permits Approved
- Perks begin shipping - aiming for July 1, 2024
- Sauna Opens - aiming for end of July 2024
The Impact
By contributing to this campaign, you'll be supporting a small business that's making a positive impact in the community. Your donation will help us provide a much-needed safe space for people who want to be among queer peers without the pressure of alcohol with a focus on healing through heat.
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Risks & Challenges
Opening a Sauna is a challenging endeavor, and it's even more challenging in Austin, but we are passionate about opening Cowboy Sauna in the shadow of where our unsung hero actually lived his life. Hercules Mulligan contributed to the movement of independence, believed in unity, and passionately stood for what he believed in.
Expansion
We realize that for such a large city that more folks will want to join the community we are building. We have this in mind in our future planning. With that being said, the land we will occupy will have room to build a bigger building or build a community of similar buildings based on demand with a building capacity up to 120 folks. Our priority is to get started and scale to meet the communities needs for a safe, inclusive, relaxing, fun space.
Other Ways You Can Help
We understand some people aren't able to contribute to our campaign monetarily, but would still like to help.
A few ways you can do this include:
Give us a follow and share our campaign on social media
(Instagram | Twitter)
We're all about building community and would love to be part of yours.
