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Bathhouse Philadelphia receives city business license

Bathhouse Philadelphia receives city business license

Money Moves Philadelphia, PA local

The New York wellness brand's first out-of-state location opened at the Bellevue in late September, with an outdoor terrace planned for early 2027.

October 6th, 2026: City issues food-service business license

Overview

Updated Oct 23

Bathhouse Philadelphia opened Sept. 25 at 1418 Walnut St., in the Bellevue's former basement food court. Philadelphia issued its food-service license Oct. 6. The 36,000-square-foot complex is the largest standalone wellness complex in the city, according to the Inquirer.

Bathhouse is building a third-floor terrace with an outdoor pool and a fourth sauna, targeted for early 2027. Next come outposts in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, and Chicago. Waste heat from on-site Bitcoin miners helps warm the pools and heated seats.

Why it matters

Bathhouse's Philadelphia debut tests whether the social wellness club model can work outside New York, and whether it can revive the American bathhouse.

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Key Indicators

$35M
Investment from Imaginary Ventures
Backing for Bathhouse's expansion, announced before the Philadelphia opening.
$29
Starting day-pass price
Subject to change based on demand and time of day.
3
Saunas at the Philadelphia location
Infrared, Russian banya, and a dry 'event sauna,' plus a steam room and three pools.
100
Expected employees
Roughly 100 people are expected to work at the Philadelphia location.

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People Involved

TT
Travis Talmadge
Co-founder and certified sauna master
Leading Bathhouse's national expansion
 Jason Goodman
Jason Goodman
Co-founder
Co-leading Bathhouse's expansion

Organizations Involved

Bathhouse
Bathhouse
Social wellness brand
Operating three NYC locations and its first out-of-state outpost in Philadelphia, where a third-floor terrace is under construction

Social wellness brand offering saunas, pools, steam rooms, and massages, with a focus on contrast therapy.
Imaginary Ventures
Imaginary Ventures
Investment firm
Investor in Bathhouse

Investment firm that backed beauty brands including Glossier, Kosas, and Reale Actives.
The Bellevue Hotel
The Bellevue Hotel
Historic hotel and mixed-use building
Host building for Bathhouse Philadelphia

Historic Philadelphia hotel at Broad and Walnut streets, rebranded with luxury apartments, a restaurant, and the Bellevue Sporting Club gym.

Timeline

November 2019 October 2026

7 events Latest: October 6th, 2026 · 1 month ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. City issues food-service business license

    Latest Regulatory

    Philadelphia issues a food preparing and serving license to Bathhouse Philadelphia.

  2. Bathhouse opens at 1418 Walnut St.

    Opening

    The 36,000-square-foot wellness complex opens in the Bellevue's former basement food court.

  3. Inquirer reports Sept. 25 opening

    Announcement

    Bathhouse confirms the Philadelphia location opens Sept. 25 at the Bellevue.

  4. Bathhouse starts hiring for Philadelphia

    Development

    A general manager posting goes live; the mid-2026 opening target slips.

  5. Bathhouse announces Philadelphia expansion

    Announcement

    Bathhouse confirms it will expand to Philadelphia, its first location outside New York City.

  6. Second New York City location opens

    Opening

    Bathhouse expands within New York City before going out of state.

  7. First Bathhouse opens in Williamsburg

    Opening

    Travis Talmadge and Jason Goodman open the first Bathhouse in Brooklyn.

Scenarios

1

Bathhouse opens Chicago outpost by end of 2027

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Company plans reported by the Philadelphia Business Journal

Bathhouse named Chicago among its next locations. If the brand's expansion stays on track, a Chicago outpost would open within about a year. The Philadelphia location's performance will likely shape the pace of the rollout.

2

Philadelphia rooftop pool and sauna open by May 2027

Likely Resolves by May 31, 2027

Discussed by: Travis Talmadge, quoted in the Inquirer

Talmadge said a rooftop pool and sauna will open in May. The third-floor outdoor terrace is part of the Bellevue space. A delay would signal construction or permitting issues.

3

Philadelphia location closes within two years

Unlikely Resolves by End of 2028

Discussed by: Industry observers; wellness clubs face high operating costs

Social wellness clubs are capital-intensive, and the Philadelphia location is the brand's largest. If foot traffic falls short of the roughly 1,000 daily visitors per New York location, the outpost could close. The rooftop opening in May would be a sign of health.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1980s

American bathhouses close during the AIDS crisis (1980s)

Bathhouses, once common social spaces in US cities, closed en masse as the AIDS epidemic spread. Public health officials targeted them, and stigma drove many remaining establishments out of business.

Then

Most American bathhouses shut down within a few years.

Now

The closures left a lasting stigma around social bathing in the US, which Bathhouse's founders say they are trying to overcome.

Why this matters now

Explains why Bathhouse markets itself as a wellness club rather than a traditional bathhouse, and why the category is sparse in Philadelphia.

2021-2024

Philadelphia's post-pandemic sauna pop-ups (2021-2024)

After the pandemic, pop-up saunas appeared at the American Swedish Historical Museum and the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education. A 26,000-square-foot 'social spa' with five saunas and a snow room opened in Northeast Philadelphia in 2025.

Then

A local market for social sweating developed where none existed.

Now

Bathhouse enters a city that has begun to embrace the format, but with a much larger footprint.

Why this matters now

Shows the local wellness wave Bathhouse is joining, and the competition it faces from existing operators.

Sources

(6)
OpenDataPhilly The Philadelphia Inquirer Philadelphia.Today Bathhouse Spa Business SaunaNews